The first Report of The Parasitic Copepod Bomolochus unicirrus (Copepoda: Bomolochidae) From Turkey

Abstract

In this study, Bomolochus unicirrus Brian, 1902, a species of parasitic copepod belonging to the family Bomolochidae (Claus, 1875), was reported for the first time from the north-eastern Mediterranean waters off the Turkish coast. Parasites were collected from the gill filaments of the European barracuda, Sphyraena sphyraena(L.)captured by trawling in Iskenderun Bay, Turkey. The morphological features of B. unicirrus were Redescribed and illustrated based on the newly collected material. Key diagnostic characters and newly observed details in some structures are highlighted and supported by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Differences and simply overlooked details in previous descriptions of B. unicirrus, are discussed in detail. In addition, morphological comparisons between presently reported species and the other species of the genus Bomolochus Nordmann, 1832 were also presented.