CLARIFICATION OF THE IDENTITY OF COPEPODS OF THE GENUS CHONDRACANTHUSPARASITIZING MERLUCCIUS-HUBBSI FROM ARGENTINEAN WATERS

In an attempt to clarify the number and identity of copepod species of the genus Chondracanthus Delaroche, 1811 parasitizing common hake Mer uluccius hubbsi Marini, 1933 from Argentinean waters, a total of 4,569 fish were examined. All of the 995 copepods of the genus Chondracanth us collected from hake showed identical morphology and were identified as Chondracanthus australis Ho, 1991. This species was detected on fi sh longer than 15 cm of total length and showed an increase in both pr evalence and mean intensity in relation to the increase in the size of the host. The highest prevalence and mean intensity were 53.55% and 2 .51, respectively. According to our results that coincide with those o f other investigators, C. australis seem to be the only species of thi s genus harbored by M. hubbsi from Argentinean waters.