PARASITISM OF CATFISHES - A DANGER FOR AQ UACULTURE

All the known groups of parasites, both protozoan and metazoan, have b een recorded from Siluroidei, By their location on the host one can di stinguish: ectoparasites, living on the tegument and/or the gills; mes oparasites, found mainly in the digestive tract and endoparasites, loc ated in the body (cavities or tissues). Three factors seem to be impor tant to determine parasite accumulations: 1) the multiplication rate, linked to the reproductive mode, particularly asexual 2) the size of p arasitic organism, which can facilitate the host invasion and 3) the l ife cycle, direct (monoxenous or holoxenous) or indirect (heteroxenous ). The examination of papers related to Siluroidei showed that the mos t studied type of pathogenic agents or parasites depend on the state o f knowledge in the country where farming is practised. The most curren tly quoted parasitic diseases on Ictalurus punctatus are detailed. Par asitism on other Siluroidei of actual or potential importance for aqua culture is discussed.