Outbreak of Argulus quadristriatus infestation in cultured Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) in marine cages, Karnataka, India

Ramudu, Kurva Raghu and Shivam, Saloni and Hussain, Tanveer and Sanil, N K and Sharma, S R Krupesha and Suresh Babu, P P and Anuraj, A and Loka, Jayasree and Kalidas, C (2025) Outbreak of Argulus quadristriatus infestation in cultured Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) in marine cages, Karnataka, India. Journal of Marine Biological Association of India, 67 (1). pp. 31-37. ISSN 2321-7898

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Abstract

This paper presents an outbreak of Argulus quadristriatus infestation in cage-farmed Asian seabass in Uttara Kannada, Karnataka, India. A total of 46 Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) specimens were collected from three distinct farming sites (Naganathwada (N); Sunkeri (S) and Kumta (K)) of which 13 were found to be infected with a total of 22 fish lice. Infected fish (n=13) exhibited clinical signs such as erratic swimming, rubbing, and haemorrhage. The highest prevalence of infestation was observed in the Naganathwada (N) location (PFI, 50%), compared to Sunkeri (S) and Kumta (K). The severity of the infection was found to be greater in Kumta. The mean intensity of A. quadristriatus infection was 4 males and 3 females per infected fish. Specific morphological differences between male and female A. quadristriatus included the presence of elongated, creamy-white testes with sperm in the males and round spermathecae in the females. Host tissue responses to the infestation included hyperplasia and necrosis of the epidermal and dermal tissue, leukocyte infiltration, and haemorrhage at the attachment sites. The study determined that the distribution and abundance of male and female A. quadristriatus varied across different sites, exhibiting distinct pathological alterations.

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