A SEASONAL STUDY ON THE PARASITIZATION OF LIPOPHRYS-PHOLIS (PISCES, BLENNIIDAE) BY HELICOMETRA-FASCIATA (DIGENEA, OPECOELIDAE) AND LECITHOCHIRIUM-FURCOLABIATUM (DIGENEA, HEMIURIDAE) IN PORTUGAL

The seasonal occurrence of the Digenea Helicometra fasciata (Opecoelid ae) and Lecithochirium furcolabiatum (Hemiuridae) infecting the shanny , Lipophrys pholis, was studied at Foz do Douro (Portuguese west coast ) from November 1988 to November 1989. Helicometra fasciata occurred a s adults within the gut throughout the year, prevalence values ranging from 42% to 91% and the intensity of the infection varying from 1 to 116 parasites per fish. Lecithochirium furcolabiatum occurred as encys ted metacercariae in the mesenteries. Prevalence values were very high every month, reaching 100% or proximate levels in 11 months, and the intensity of the infection varying from 1 to 216 specimens per host. T he condition index of the host was not affected by infection by the tw o parasite species infection.