Summary
The
relationship between communities of chub endoparasites (Leuciscus
cephalus) fished in the Orta and Pescara Rivers in the Abruzzo
region of Italy, and the quality of the water in which they are
caught, were studied in surveys designed to evaluate the feed quality
of fish in the inland waters of the Abruzzo. Samples were taken
monthly from October 2000 to September 2001 in the Orta River (Buscesi
District) and the Pescara River (near the Villareia bridge); a total
of 86 chub were caught. During periods of low and moderate flow
in both rivers, benthonic macroinvertebrates were sampled at the
fish sampling sites to classify the water quality using the extended
biotic index (EBI) method. The Orta River was moderately polluted
and the Pescara River slightly more polluted than the Orta. A parasitological
study of the fish was conducted using conventional methods. A morphological
study of the parasites led to the identification of seven species
of endoparasites. Five of these (Allocreadium isoporum, Caryophyllaeus
brachycollis, Caryophyllaeides fennica, Rhabdocona
denudata and Pomphorhyncus laevis) were found at both
sampling sites, while Acanthocephalus clavula was found only
in the Pescara River and Neoechinorhynchus rutili was found
only in the Orta River.
The
differences in epizootological indexes (prevalence, abundance and
mean intensity) and the biotic indexes (Margalef, Shannon, Evenness,
Simpson and Berger-Parker) suggested that the structure of the communities
of chub endoparasites in the two rivers is a less sensitive biological
indicator than benthic macroinvertebrates, because it does not detect
small variations in water contamination.
Keywords
Benthic
macroinvertebrates, Bioindicators, Chub, Fish, Italy, Leuciscus
cephalus, Parasites, Pollution. |