Folia Parasitologica 51[2/3] 123-130 (2004) | DOI: 10.14411/fp.2004.017

A review of Dendromonocotyle (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from the skin of stingrays and their control in public aquaria

Leslie A. Chisholm¹, Ian D. Whittington^1,2, Andreas B.P. Fischer³

¹ Marine Parasitology Laboratory, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia

² Monogenean Research Laboratory, Parasitology Section, The South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia

³ Underwater World - Sunshine Coast, Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba, Queensland 4557, Australia

Dendromonocotyle species (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) are the only monocotylids to parasitize the skin of chondrichthyan hosts. Currently 11 species are recorded from the skin of ray species in the Dasyatidae, Myliobatidae and Urolophidae. There have been increasing reports of Dendromonocotyle outbreaks on rays kept in public aquaria. This paper provides a broad review of Dendromonocotyle that should assist taxonomists and aquarists with species identification and help decisions on potential control methods for Dendromonocotyle infections. The taxonomy and host-specificity of Dendromonocotyle are discussed and a key to current species is provided. We summarise what little is known about the biology of Dendromonocotyle including egg embryonation and hatching, feeding, camouflage and reproduction. The efficacy of freshwater baths, chemical treatments and biological control measures such as the use of cleaner fish for Dendromonocotyle is also discussed. We demonstrate that effective control of Dendromonocotyle on captive rays is hampered by the lack of basic biological data on the life cycle of the parasites. A case history is provided outlining the success of a public aquarium (Underwater World, Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia) in managing D. pipinna infections on captive Taeniura meyeni without chemical intervention simply by taking measures to reduce host stress.

Keywords: Monogenea, Monocotylidae, Dendromonocotyle, aquaria, Dasyatidae, Taeniura meyeni

Received: December 4, 2003; Accepted: February 25, 2004; Published: June 1, 2004  Show citation