Monogenean Infections on Fishes from Darbandikhan Lake in Kurdistan Region, Iraq

A total of 226 freshwater fishes, belonging to 14 species, were collected from Darbandikhan Lake, southeast of Sulaimania city, Kurdistan region, Iraq, from March 2012 to the end of October 2012. The fishes were examined for monogeneans parasites. The study revealed the existence of 25 species of parasites including 20 species of Dactylogyrus, three species of Dogielius and two species of Gyrodactylus. Five species of these parasites (D. dyki, D. persis, D. mascomi, D. suchengtaii and G. molnari) were recorded for the first time in Iraq, and four species (D. barbiodies, D. formosus, D. lenkorani and G. sprostonae) were recorded in Kurdistan region. Also, some fish species were recorded as new hosts for some parasite species. The present study revealed that D. suchengtaii and D. carassobarbi had the highest prevalence f 100% and 90.90%, respectively in the lake.