Authors

A McCarthy¹; R Perry¹; A R Lyndon¹;  ¹ Heriot-Watt University

Discussion

Macroparasite communities were examined in three species of bathypelagic fish sampled off the Azores.  Only one of the three species (Coryphaenoides guentheri) supported any macroparasites, and these were found to become less abundant and diverse with increasing host size.  It is suggested that fully bathypelagic species lack significant macroparasite communities and that connection of early life stages with the benthos enables parasite transmission to C. guentheri.  Parallels with reduced host densities in over-fished shelf communities are explored.