Checklists of Gyrodactylus Species (Monogenea) from Fishes of Iraq

Surveying the literature concerning the occurrence of the monogeneans of the genus Gyrodactylus parasitizing fishes of Iraq indicated that there are 25 nominated species of this genus on 29 fish species. These are: G. baicalensis, G. barbi, G. ctenopharyngodontis, G. cyprini, G. derjavini, G. elegans, G. gobioninum, G. gussevi, G. katharineri, G. kherulensis, G. lavareti, G. longoacuminatus, G. macracanthus, G. malmbergi, G. markevitschi, G. medius, G. menschikowi, G. molnari, G. aff. mugili, G. salaris, G. shulmani, G. sprostonae, G. taimeni, G. vicinus and G. vimbi. All these species infected freshwater fishes, except G. aff. mugili which infected two marine fishes found in brackish waters. In addition to these species, some unidentified specimens of this genus were reported from 15 fish hosts among which five fish species showed no infection with any of the above nominated species of Gyrodactylus while the others showed mixed infection. Such unidentified Gyrodactylus species were recorded from 12 freshwater fishes as well as three marine fishes found within the freshwaters of Basrah province. Among Gyrodactylus species, number of hosts ranged from one host for 15 Gyrodactylus species to a maximum of 23 hosts in case of G. elegans. The distribution of the infection ranged from one parasite species in 14 fish hosts to a maximum infection with 21 Gyrodactylus species in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio).