Parasites of Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio): an invasive species in Alberta, Canada

A cyprinid, the Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio (Bloch, 1782)), has become an established invasive fish in several watersheds in Alberta, Canada. Originating in Eurasia, Prussian carp negatively impact native fish through predation, competition, and habitat modification. Prior to this study, nothing was known regarding the external and internal parasites of these fish in North America, although nine studies had been conducted in Europe and Asia. We examined 22 fish (20 female, 2 male) ranging from 3 to 5 years of age and recorded morphological features, stomach contents, and performed standard necropsy examinations for parasites. One parasite species, the acanthocephalan Pomphorhynchus bulbocolli Linkins in Van Cleave, 1919, was found in three fish (14%), with a mean intensity of 1.0. This is a new host record and the first report of any acanthocephalan parasite in Prussian carp. We conclude that Prussian carp are not introducing any novel parasites into native fish and that they are resistant to most infections by native parasites.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author