Haliotrema abaddon N. sp (Monogenoidea : Dactylogyridae) from the gills ofwild and maricultured West Australian dhufish Glaucosoma hebraicum (Teleostei : Glaucosomatidae), in Australia

Haliotrema abaddon n. sp. (Dactylogyridae) is described from the gills of W est Australian dhufish Glaucosoma hebraicum (Teleostei: Glaucosomatidae), f rom the Indian Ocean near Fremantle, Western Australia. The parasite is rec orded from cultured dhufish and from a major portion of the known geographi c distribution of its host. In cultured dhufish, H. abaddon causes branchit is and hyperplasia and metaplasia of the lamellar epithelial cells and may be a limiting factor in the development of an economically feasible maricul ture industry. Comparable prevalences and densities of the parasite on wild and cultured dhufish were observed. In heavily infested captive fish, clus ters of eggs (egg strands) appear to restrict blood flow to localized regio ns of the gills as a result of entanglement of egg filaments with secondary gill lamellae. Hatching of oncomiracidia occurs in 7-10 days at 20-25 C.