FISH HOST-RANGE OF 7 ISOLATES OF CRYPTOCARYON-IRRITANS (CILIOPHORA)

Host specificity of the marine ciliate Cryptocaryon irritans was inves tigated using seven parasite isolates and six experimental fish specie s. The low degree of host specificity of C. irritans to teleost fish h as been confirmed. Furthermore, five fish species occurring outside th e geographical range of this parasite were also susceptible to infecti on; three of these could be risk to Cryptocaryon through aquaculture p ractices.