Description
The Branchiura are a small class of parasitic Crustacea, formerly considered to be an order of Copepoda (Barnes 1974; Cressey 1978). Synonymy - Hoffman (1970) lists the European species A. foliaceus as a synonym of A. japonicus, but Hoffman and Schubert (1984) treat these species separately. We have not found records of A. foliaceus in North America.
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animalia | Crustacea | Branchiura | Argulidea | Argulidae | Argulus |
Synonyms
Invasion History
Chesapeake Bay Status
| First Record | Population | Range | Introduction | Residency | Source Region | Native Region | Vectors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | Unknown | Unknown | Introduced | Regular Resident | North America | East Asia | Fisheries(Fisheries Accidental); Ornamental(Pet Release) |
History of Spread
Argulus japonicus (a fish-louse) was described from Japan by Thiele in 1900, as a parasite of Goldfish (Carassius auratus) (Meehan 1940). Subsequently, it has been found on goldfish and other cyprinids around the world, including Britain (Rushton-Mellor 1992), South Africa (Shafir and Oldewage 1992), Sri Lanka, Israel, New Zealand (Hoffman and Schubert 1984), and North America (Cressey 1978). It is likely that this parasite was spread throughout much of its present range long before its description.
The first record we have found of A. japonicus in North America is an occurrence in Macon GA (as A. trilineata) (Wilson 1904; Meehan 1940). Its spread in North America is not well-documented. United States National Museum of Natural History collections include aquarium, fishpond, and 'wild' specimens from MD and VA (1933-37), NY (1937), MA (1940), WI (1988), and Puerto Rico (1991). However, Meehan (1940) noted that 'the species has been reported from almost every region where C. auratus are found'. It is considered a commonly occurring pest in C. auratus and Cyprinus carpio (ornamental carp, koi) ponds (Hoffman 1977; Rushton-Mellor 1992). While it seems to be usually associated with these species in North America, it did not discriminate between C. carpio and the North American cyprinid Pimephales promelas (LaMarre and Cochran 1992).
Since we have not found comprehensive surveys of fish parasites in the fresh-oligohaline waters of Chesapeake Bay, we do not know the range and abundance of A. japonicus. We have only one record from tidal waters, and two from the watershed. Given the common occurrence of Carassius auratus and the abundance of Cyprinus carpio in Bay tributaries, this parasite is probably widespread and common. 'Argulus' spp. are listed for the Potomac estuary (Lippson et al. 1979), and for the Susquehanna River, in central PA (Deutsch 1977).
Rappahannock River - A. japonicus was collected from 'Chesapeake Bay' at Weems VA, on the middle portion of the estuary, 'swimming freely in the tow', 1933 (United States National Museum of Natural History collections).
Nontidal Waters - A. japonicus was collected at Norfolk VA, from a Carassius auratus in an aquarium at the Bureau of Plant Quarantine, in 1936; Takoma Park MD, from a C. auratus (United States National Museum of Natural History collections).
History References - Cressey 1978; Deutsch 1977; Hofman 1977; Hoffman and Schubert 1984 ; LaMarre and Cochran 1992; Lippson et al. 1979; Meehan 1940; Rushton-Mellor 1992; Shafir and Oldewage 1992; Wilson 1904; United States National Museum of Natural History collections
Invasion Comments
Population Status - There are no recent records, but Argulus japonicus is proablably present, and could be common, due to the abundance of the host species.
Ecology
Environmental Tolerances
| For Survival | For Reproduction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Maximum | Minimum | Maximum | |
| Temperature (ºC) | 35.0 | 15.0 | 35.0 | |
| Salinity (‰) | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Oxygen | ||||
| pH | ||||
| Salinity Range | fresh-meso |
Age and Growth
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Adult Size (mm) | 3.0 | |
| Typical Adult Size (mm) | 3.5 | 4.8 |
| Maximum Adult Size (mm) | 6.5 | |
| Maximum Longevity (yrs) | ||
| Typical Longevity (yrs | 1.0 |
Reproduction
| Start | Peak | End | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reproductive Season | |||
| Typical Number of Young Per Reproductive Event |
|||
| Sexuality Mode(s) | |||
| Mode(s) of Asexual Reproduction |
|||
| Fertilization Type(s) | |||
| More than One Reproduction Event per Year |
|||
| Reproductive Startegy | |||
| Egg/Seed Form |
Impacts
Economic Impacts in Chesapeake Bay
Economic impacts of Argulus japonicus in tidal waters of Chesapeake Bay are unknown. Some ornamental fish-farming takes place in the watershed, particularly in Frederick County MD (Martin 1983), and A. japonicus is likely to be a troublesome pest there, as well as to people who keep Goldfish (Carassius auratus) and Koi (Cyprinus carpio) as ornamentals and pets.
References- Martin 1983
Economic Impacts Outside of Chesapeake Bay
Argulus japonicus is a potentially serious pest in aquaculture, including rearing of cyprinid fishes for food, baitfish rearing, ornamental culture of (Carassius auratus) and(Cyprinus carpio) (Hoffman 1977; Jafri and Ahmed 1994; Rushton-Mellor 1992). The sites of attachment of the parasite can be unsightly and are also prone to secondary infection. High densities of Argulus spp. can be lethal to fishes, and aquaculture conditions may be especially favorable to the parasite (Hoffman 1977).
Argulus japonicus is apparently present in natural waters in much of North America (Cressey 1978; LaMarre and Cochran 1992), but its effects on wild fish populations are unknown. In some parts of the world, including South Africa, it has become an abundant parasite of native cyprinid fishes (Shafir and Oldewage 1992), but its impacts on fisheries have apparently not been quantified.
References- Cressey 1978; Hoffman 1977; Jafri and Ahmed 1994; LaMarre and Cochran 1992; Rushton-Mellor 1992; Shafir and Oldewage 1992
Ecological Impacts on Chesapeake Native Species
Parasitism- Argulus japonicus punctures the skin of fishes, and secretes protoelytic enzymes to stimulate blood flow in the surrounding tissues. The lesions may become ulcerated and hemorrhagic, and are prone to secondary infection Heavy infections can result in mortality (Hoffman 1977; Jafri and Ahmed 1994).
Impacts of Argulus japonicus on native fishes in the Chesapeake Bay region are unknown. While it has been transported throughout the world on Carassius auratus (goldfish) and Cyprinus carpio (Common Carp) (Hoffman and Schubert 1984), it showed no discrimination in the laboratory between C. auratus and Pimephales promelas (Fathead minnow) (LaMarre and Cochran 1992). [Pimephales promelas is native to North America, but is introduced in the Chesapeake Bay region (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993).] Its host range in North America is not known, but it has been taken from fishes of families other than Cyprinidae. One collection from the Midwest (IA) was taken from Dorosoma cepedianum (Gizzard Shad) which is native in Chesapeake Bay (US National Parasite Collection 1998). Argulus japonicus also fed on several African species of Cyprinidae and Clarias gariepinnis (catfish) in South Africa (Shafir and Oldewage 1992). These observations suggest that A. japonicus could attack native fishes in the Chesapeake region.
References- Jafri and Ahmed 1994; Jenkins and Burkhead 1993; LaMarre and Cochran 1992; Shafir and Oldewage 1992; US National Parasite Collection 1998
Ecological Impacts on Other Chesapeake Non-Native Species
Parasitism since the abundance of Argulus japonicus in the Chesapeake region is unknown, so are its impacts on introduced fish populations. However, A. japonicus is a common parasite of the introduced Goldfish (Carassius auratus) and Cyprinus carpio (Common Carp) (Cressey 1978; Hoffman and Schubert 1984), which are abundant in the Chesapeake region (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993). This parasite also attacks the Pimephales promelas(Fathead Minnow) (LaMarre and Cochran 1992), native to North America, but introduced and an occasional resident in Chesapeake tributaries. The impact of parasitism by A. japonicus has not been studied quantitatively on wild North American fish populations. Heavy infestations of Argulus spp. in captive and wild fishes can cause mortality due to blood loss. Lesions from the feeding of the parasite are also prone to secondary infection, which can also be fatal (Hoffman 1977).
Ref- Cressey 1978; Hoffman 1977; Hoffman and Schubert 1984; Jenkins and Burkhead 1993; LaMarre and Cochran 1992
References
Cressey, Roger F. (1978) Marine flora and fauna of the northeastern United States. Crustacea: Branchiura, NOAA Technical Report Circular 413: 1-9Deutsch, William G. (1977) Fish parasites from the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, with new host records, Proceedings of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science 51: 122-124
Hoffman, Glenn L. (1967) Parasites of North American freshwater fishes, In: (Eds.) . , Berkeley. Pp.
Hoffman, Glenn L. (1970) Intercontinental and transcontinental dissemination and transfaunation of fish parasites with emphasis on whirling disease (Myxosoma cerebralis), American Fisheries Society Special Publication 5: 69-81
Hoffman, Glenn L. (1977) Argulus, a Branchiuran parasite of freshwater fishes, United States Fish and Wildlife Service Fish Disease Leaflet 49: 1-9
Hoffman, Glenn, L.; Schubert, Gottfried (1984) Some parasites of exotic fishes., , Baltimore, MD. Pp. 233-261
Jafri, S. I. H.; Ahmed, S. S. (1994) Some observations on mortality in major carps due to fish lice and their chemical control, Pakistan Journal of Zoology 26: 274-276
Jenkins, Robert E.; Burkhead, Noel M. (1993) Freshwater fishes of Virginia., , Bethesda, MD. Pp.
Jones, Philip W.; Martin, F. Douglas; Hardy, Jerry D., Jr. (1978) Development of fishes of the mid-Atlantic Bight. V. 1. Acipenseridae through Ictaluridae., In: (Eds.) . , Washington DC. Pp.
LaMarre, Ellen; Cochran, Philip A. (1992) Lack of host species selection by the exotic parasitic crustacean, Argulus japonicus., Journal of Freshwater Ecology 7: 77-80
Lippson, Alice J. (1973) The Chesapeake Bay in Maryland: An Atlas of Natural Resources, , Baltimore, MD. Pp.
Lippson, Alice J.; Haire, Michael S.; Holland, A. Frederick; Jacobs, Fred; Jensen, Jorgen; Moran-Johnson, R. Lynn; Polgar, Tibor T.; Richkus, William (1979) Environmental Atlas of the Potomac Estuary, , Baltimore, MD. Pp.
Martin, Mayo (1983) Goldfish farming, Aquaculture Magazine 9: 38-48
Meehan, O. Lloyd (1940) A review of the parasitic Crustacea of the genus Argulus in the collections of the United States National Museum, Proceedings of the United States National Museum 88: 459-521
Page, Lawrence M.; Burr, Brooks M. (1991) Freshwater Fishes., , Boston. Pp.
Rushton-Mellor, S. K. (1992) Discovery of the fish louse Argulus japonicus (Crustacea:Branchiura) in Britain., Aquaculture and Fisheries Management 23: 269-271
Shafir, A.; Oldewage, W. H. (1992) Dynamics of a fish ectoparasite population: Opportunistic parasitism in Argulus japonicus., Crustacean 62: 50-64
Shafir, A.; Van As, J. G. (1986) Laying, development, and hatching of eggs of the fish ectoparasite Argulus japonicus (Crustacea: Branchiura)., Journal of Zoology, London 210: 401-414
Tokioka, Takasi (1936) Larval development and metamorphosis of Argulus japonicus, Memoirs of the College of Science, Kyoto Imperial University, Series B : 93-114
Wilson, Charles Branch (1902) New species of Argulus, with a more complete account of two species already described, Proceedings of the United States National Museum 27: 627-655
Wilson, Charles Branch (1944) Parasitic copepods in the United States National Museum, Proceedings of the United States National Museum 94: 529-582