| Parasite | Unidentified leech (possibly rhynchobdellidan) |
|---|---|
| Taxonomy | Annelida, Hirudinea |
| Host | Flathead mullet (Mugil cephalus) |
| Infection site | Body surface |
| Clinical sign | A leech is observed on the body surface (Fig. 1). |
| Parasitology | Though this leech is not identified, it would belong to the genus Ichthyobdella, Limnotrachelobdella or other similar genera because of the morphological characteristics of the body and the suckers (Shiino, 1969). |
| Pathology | Parasitized fish may be adversely affcted by the attachment and sucking because the leech is large-size compared to the host. |
| Health hazard | Since this parasite is not infectious to human, it is harmless in food hygiene. |
| Diagnosis | Observe the morphology of the parasite. |
| Other information | This leech was reported in the flathead mullet caught from brackish water in Mie Prefecture. |
| References | Shiino, S. (1969): Suisan musekitsui dobutsu gaku. Baifukan, Tokyo, pp. 108-126. |
(Photos by H. Iketake)
Fig. 1. A leech on the body surface of flathead mulet.
Fig. 2. Unidentified leech from the mullet.