THE APPLICATION OF CHAETOTAXY IN THE DISCRIMINATION OF GYRODACTYLUS-SALARIS MALMBERG, 1957 (GYRODACTYLIDAE, MONOGENEA) FROM SPECIES OF THE GENUS PARASITIZING BRITISH SALMONIDS

The chaetotaxy of argentophilic structures on three species of the mon ogenean genus Gyrodactylus was investigated in an attempt to distingui sh species of this genus. Maps were prepared for Gyrodactylus salaris from Scandinavia and compared with two native species of Gyrodactylus parasitising salmonids in Britain, namely Gyrodactylus derjavini and G yrodactylus truttae. The maps were subsequently refined and analysed f or zones of homology and differentiation. The results demonstrate that G. salaris can be readily distinguished by this technique, which is, therefore, of great potential value in the identification of this noti fiable pathogen. The key aggregations of sensilla discriminating G. sa laris are, ventrally, the antero-ventral set, the medio-lateral set an d the postero-lateral set, and, dorsally, the postero-dorsal set. (C) 1998 Australian Society for Parasitology. Published by Elsevier Scienc e Ltd.