Biodiversity of Microfauna Dwelling Skin and Gills of Clarias gariepinus Burchell, 1822 from Polluted and Fragmented Habitats | ||||
| Catrina: The International Journal of Environmental Sciences | ||||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 11 July 2025 PDF (1.2 MB) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/cat.2025.302096.1301 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
Amer Ahmed Noaman; Ahmed Mostafa El-Naggar; Sayed A El-Tantawy; Mohamed Ibrahim Mashaly  
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| Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Aquatic ecosystems are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic pollution, which can profoundly impact host-parasite interactions and biodiversity. Understanding the relationships between environmental stressors and parasite communities is essential for effective monitoring and management of freshwater health. This study investigated the community structure and environmental determinants of ectoparasitic microfauna on the skin and gills of Clarias gariepinus across three Nile Delta ecosystems: the River Nile, Al-Amlak Drain, and a Quaternary Stream. Marked spatial variation in physicochemical parameters and heavy metal concentrations was observed, with Al-Amlak Drain exhibiting the highest pollution levels and lowest dissolved oxygen. Parasitic infestation was greatest at Al-Amlak Drain, while the Quaternary Stream displayed the highest species diversity. Macrogyrodactylus and Gyrodactylus species were more prevalent on the skin, and Piscicola geometra was restricted to polluted sites. Multivariate analyses revealed that the abundance and distribution of monogenean parasites were significantly influenced by specific water quality parameters and heavy metal profiles, with distinct ecological preferences observed between parasite species. These findings highlight the utility of monogenean parasites as sensitive bioindicators for assessing freshwater ecosystem health and the impacts of pollution. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Aquatic ecosystems; Catfish; Clarias gariepinus; Ectoparasites; Fragmented Ecosys-tems; Microfauna; Water quality | ||||
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