Diversity of endoparasitic helminths of fish from the lake Morske oko, Eastern Slovakia

Endoparasitic helminths of ten fish species belonging to the families Salmo nidae (2), Cyprinidae (6), Cobitidae (1) and Percidae (1) from the lake Mor ske oko (Eastern Slovakia) were investigated. Altogether 327 of 511 (64 %) fishes examined harboured nine helminth species: 4 nematodes (Camallanus tr uncatus, Philometra abdominalis, Rhabdochona denudata, Cystidicoloides ephe meridarum), 2 tapeworms (Proteocephalus longicollis, P. torulosus), 2 acant hocephalans (Neoechinorhynchus rutili, Pomphorhynchus laevis) and the digen ean Bunodera luciopercae. All endoparasites were recognized as generalists and autogenic species. Four host-parasite combinations involved core specie s with the prevalence over 60 % within the parasite component communities: P. longicollis exceeded this infection level in rainbow trout (93 %) and N. rutili in brown trout (86 %), rainbow trout (80 %) and minnow (71 %). The highest component community richness was found in brown trout, chub and per ch, each harbouring 5 helminth species. The parasite infracommunities consi sted mostly of one (60 %) or two (25 %) species with maximum 4 helminth spe cies per individual fish host. The average values of Brillouin's index of d iversity were low (mean = 0.21 +/- 0.02; range 0-1.13; n = 511). The highes t average Brillouin's index (0.38 +/- 0.03) was calculated for chub.