Sea lice (Caligidae) on wrasse (Labridae) from selected British wild and salmon-farm sources

Citation

Bron J & Treasurer J (1992) Sea lice (Caligidae) on wrasse (Labridae) from selected British wild and salmon-farm sources. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 72 (3), pp. 645-650. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315400059415

Abstract
The occurrence and intensity of infection of caligid species on the five species of wrasse commonly found in British waters are reported from twelve localities in the British Isles and from seven fish-farms in Scotland where wrasse are used to remove sea lice from salmon (Salmo salar L.). A low prevalence of infection was recorded for all wrasse species except ballan. Chalimus of Caligus centrodonti Baird were identified from fins of ballan, rock cook and goldsinny wrasse, this being the first host record for the latter two species. Single chalimus stages of Caligus elongatus Nordmann were identified from a ballan wrasse and a goldsinny wrasse and are similarly first records from these host species. No C. centrodonti were found on farmed salmon and conversely no Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Krøyer) were identified from wrasse kept in contact with infected salmon. This suggests that transfer of caligids between wrasse and salmon and vice versa does not pose problems for fish health on sea-farms.

Journal
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom: Volume 72, Issue 3