Fish Parasites Part Ii: Studies on Some Monogenean Parasites Infecting Fresh Water Fish in Egypt

Monogenean parasites of freshwater fish could be considered as one of the most prevalent diseases affecting skin and gills, which included irritation, severe destruction of the gills, impaired breathing as well as severe losses too. They are the most abundant ectoprasitic flukes of fish, with greater diversity of species occurring in tropics than in the temperate regions of the world. They spend their entire life cycle as parasites on gills and skin of fish, hold to the fish by the use of hooks and attachment organs at the posterior end. This study investigates the prevalence of these parasites infecting some of the economically important fresh water fish from the River Nile at Qena province, Egypt. This is followed by detailed description by means of light microscopy of the recorded parasite species including a detailed description of the different parts of the recovered worms.