Neoechinorhynchus zabensis (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) in Capoeta damascina and C. trutta (Osteichthyes: Cyprinidae) from Dokan Lake and Greater Zab River, Northern Iraq

During the period from January to December 2005, a total of 879 fishes (527 Capoeta damascina and 352 C. trutta) were collected from Dokan Lake and Greater Zab River, northern Iraq. They were infected with the acanthocephalan Neoechinorhynchus zabensis at overall rates of 100% and 91% in C. damascina and 98.5% and 72% in C. trutta in Dokan Lake and Greater Zab River, respectively. No significant differences were noted in the infection of male and female fishes with this parasite. Prevalence, mean intensity and abundance of infection with N. zabensis increased with the increase of fish length. The infection with this worm was high during spring and summer, and low in autumn and winter. The prevalence of N. zabensis in both species of fishes in Dokan Lake was higher than that in Greater Zab River