Anisakid Nematodes in Black Sea Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena ssp. relicta) from the Turkish Western Black Sea: With Notes About Association with Body Length and Stomach Content

Abstract

Parasites are naturally present in the natural gastrointestinal fauna of marine mammals without necessarily causing anypathology. However, under various stress conditions, parasites can cause pathological disorders in the gastrointestinal system. Thereis insufficient information on parasite fauna of mammals living in the Black Sea waters off the Turkish coast. This study examined thestomach contents of bycaught and stranded harbour porpoises collected between 2002 and 2003 along the Turkish coast of the westernBlack Sea for parasitic presence. In a previous stomach content study, 450 nematode fragments (including 232 intact specimens) wereoccasionally collected from 33 harbour porpoises (27 females and 6 males) and preserved in 70% ethanol at room temperature. Nema-todes were detected in 78.5% of the examined harbour porpoise stomachs. The nematodes were identified as Contracaecum spp. andHysterothylacium spp. in their larval forms, as well as adult specimens of the family Anisakidae (Railliet & Henry, 1912). Understandingthe parasitological fauna of cetaceans is crucial for both their health and conservation efforts. This study presents the first findings onthe parasitological findings of harbour porpoises from the Turkish coast of the western Black Sea and explores the association betweenstomach contents, parasitological findings, and body length.