Digenean, monogenean and cestode infection of inshore fish at the South Orkney Islands

Notothenioid fish of 3 species - 23 immature Notothenia coriiceps, 4 Gobionotothen gibberifrons and 11 Chaenocephalus aceratus, from the coastal zone at the South Orkney Islands were examined to determine their parasite infection. Five digenean species from the intestine, one monogenean species from the skin, two tetraphyllidean larval forms (cercoids) from the intestine, and diphyllobothriid plerocercoids from the stomach's wall, liver and body cavity are reported. Infections are compared with those of fish from adjacent island groups along the Scotia Arc. Parasite infections of the fish from the South Orkney Islands were more similar to those at the South Shetland Islands area than at South Georgia. The infection of N. coriiceps and G. gibberifrons is similar to that of fjord fish at South Georgia and the South Shetland Islands, whereas the parasite burden of Ch. aceratus was more similar to that of this fish species inhabiting the open sea.