Modjadji Lebepe, Siphonostomatoid diversity on mobulids off the KZN coast of South Africa
Channel: African Campus
Date: 2013-06-13

Oral Presentation

Modjadji C. Lebepe and Susan M. Dippenaar
Department of Biodiversity, SMLS, University of Limpopo, South Africa

South Africa is very rich in aquatic species and has about 210 chondrichthyan species, seven of which are mobulid rays. Mobulid hosts were not carefully studied for copepod infection previously and copepods reported from them were probably found by chance. Additionally, the biology of mobulids remains poorly understood, primarily as a result of the difficulty to correctly identify these species in the field and because these hosts are very uncommon, rarely seen or caught and thus not well studied. A total of 40 mobulids (31 Mobula kuhlii; two Mobula eregoodootenkee and seven Manta alfredi) were examined for infection by symbiotic copepods at the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board (KZNSB). More than 90% of all examined hosts were infected with different types of symbiotic siphonostomatoids. Collected copepod specimens were fixed and preserved in 70% ethanol and studied with the stereo- and light microscopes using the wooden slide technique. Thirteen siphonostomatoid species representing five families were identified. They include Eudactylinidae (Eudactylina oliveri, Eudactylina diabolophila and Nemesis sp.); Caligidae (Caligus chrysophrysi, Pupulina cliffi, Pupulina merira; Pupulina sp. 3, Unidentified sp. 1, Unidentified sp. 2 and Unidentified sp. 3); Kroyeriidae (Kroeyerina mobulae); Dichelesthiidae (Anthosoma crassum) and Cecropidae (Entepherus laminipes). This paper provides the first record of C. chrysophrysi, K. mobulae, Pupulina sp. 3, E. diabolophila, Nemesis sp. and the three Unidentified species on mobulids frequenting South African waters. By studying the distribution and diversity of symbiotic copepods on mobulids in South African waters, we contribute towards knowledge of symbiotic copepods of Chondrichthyes as a group and the biodiversity of copepods in South African waters and may also gain some insights into the host biology.