| Parasite | Sarcotaces sp. |
|---|---|
| Taxonomy | Arthropoda, Copepoda, Poecilostomatoida |
| Host | Slender lizardfish (Saurida elongate) |
| Infection site | Subcutaneous tissue of the head |
| Clinical sign | A rugby ball-shaped whitish node (about 5-6×11-14 mm) is observed in the subcutaneous tissue of the head and the buccal cavity (Fig. 1). |
| Parasitology | The node includes a female (about 5×11-14 mm) and a male (length 1.2-1.4 mm) of the parasite. A club-shaped female has one sharp end and the other blunt end with a ring-like knob structure (Fig. 2). The whitish body has many sac-like processes over the surface (Fig. 2). A male is arrow-like shaped and has the appendages for attachment, the antennae at the cephalon and the posteriorly directed projection of the last abdominal segment. Generally, there is a pair of both sexes within a node, though 4 males were rarely found (Momoyama and Tensha, 2006). |
| Pathology | No report |
| Health hazard | Since this parasite is not infectious to human, it is harmless in food hygiene. |
| Diagnosis | Check the morphology of parasite in the node. |
| References | Momoyama, K. and K. Tensha (2006): Ugly-looking parasitic infections and
other abnormalities of wild fish and shellfish caught in the coastal or
inland waters around or in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Bull. Yamaguchi Pref. Fish. Res. Ctr.,
4, 143-161. (In Japanese) |
Fig. 1. Nodes (arrows) of Sarcotaces in the head of slender lizardfish.
Fig. 3. A male of Sarcotaces sp.
Fig. 2. A female of Sarcotaces sp.
(Photos by K. Tensha and K. Momoyama)