PARASITES OF CAPELIN (MALLOTUS-VILLOSUS) IN THE ST-LAWRENCE ESTUARY AND GULF

A survey of the parasites of capelin (Mallotus villosus) caught on the spawning grounds at five localities in the estuary of the St. Lawrenc e River and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, was conducted in 1994. F rom examination of 125 fish, a total of 21 parasite taxa was identifie d (2 Protista, 3 Monogenea, 4 Digenea, 4 Cestoda, 7 Nematoda, and 1 Ac anthocephala). Seven new host records are reported for this fish (Tric hodina sp., Brachyphallus crenatus, Bothrimonus sturionis, Ascarophis sp., Pseudoterranova decipiens larva, Spirurida gen.sp. larva, and Ech inorhynchus laurentianus). The parasite fauna of capelin is comparativ ely depauperate. It is characterized by the relative abundance of a fe w species showing a high level of host specificity (Microsporidium sp. , Trichodina sp., Gyrodactyloides andriaschewi, G. petruschewskii, Lam iniscus gussevi, and Eubothrium parvum) that mature on or in capelin, several ubiquitous adult digeneans (e.g., B. crenatus, Derogenes varic us, Hemiurus levinseni, and Lecithaster gibbosus), and a number of spe cies that use capelin as intermediate or transport hosts (e.g., Scolex pleuronectis plerocercoid, Anisakis simplex larva, Contracaecinea gen .sp. larva, and Hysterothylacium aduncum larva).