Vol. 76 (1) 2024

ARTICLES

Helminth Parasites of Black-striped Pipefish
Syngnathus abaster Risso, 1827 (Actinopterygii: Syngnathidae) from a Black Sea Coastal Wetland, Bulgaria


Borislav Stoyanov, Yasen Mutafchiev & Boyko B. Georgiev*

Abstract
In a helminthological survey, the black-striped pipefish Syngnathus abaster (13 individuals) from the Lake Atanasovsko Wetlands, Bulgaria, three helminth species were recorded. These were the cryptogonimid trematode Timoniella imbutiformis (subadult and mature individuals), the opisthorchid trematode Cryptocotyle concava (metacercaria) and the raphidascaridid nematode Hysterothylacium cf. aduncum (third-stage larvae). Of them, T. imbutiformis was the most prevalent parasite species (15.38%). The other two helminth species were with lower prevalence, 7.69% each. Previously, these helminth species have not been reported as parasites of S. abaster in Bulgaria. This is the first record of Timoniella imbutiformis for the fauna of Bulgaria.

Key words
Cryptogonimidae, Lake Atanasovsko, morphology, new records, Opisthorchiidae, Raphidascarididae

How to Cite
Stoyanov B., Mutafchiev Y. & Georgiev B.B. 2024. Helminth Parasites of Black-striped Pipefish Syngnathus abaster Risso, 1827 (Actinopterygii: Syngnathidae) from a Black Sea Coastal Wetland, Bulgaria. Acta zoologica bulgarica 76 (1) 115-128.