Parasites of Lake Greenwood Channel Catfish

Bennet Mendel

Sixteen catfish were captured by hook and line from Lake Greenwood in South Carolina and examined for metazoan parasites. 1109 parasites were found comprising 8 different species, including one monogenean, Ligictaluridus price; two digeneans, Megalonia ictalurid and Polylekithum ictaluri; one tapeworm, Corallobothrium fimbriatum; one nematode Camallanus oxycephalu; one acanthocephalan, Neoechinorhynchus cylindratus; one copepod, Ergasilus arthrosis; and Glochidia, the larval stage of a freshwater mussel. The most common parasites encountered were recovered from the gills. Ergasilus arthrosis infected all 16 catfish with an average intensity of 43.2 copepods per fish. Ligictaluridus pricei was found in 75% of catfish with a mean intensity of 31.7 worms per fish. 

• Bennett Mendel graduated from J. L. Mann high school in Greenville and is a senior biology major. His achievements include working as a plant anatomy tutor on campus and a poster presentation at the American Society of Microbiology