Nerocila phaiopleura, a cymothoid isopod parasitic on Pacific bluefin tuna, Thunnus orientalis, cultured in Japan

抄録

Ovigerous females of Nerocila phaiopleura Bleeker, 1857 were collected from the body surface of young Pacific bluefin tuna, Thunnus orientalis (Temminck & Schlegel, 1844), cultured in Japan. This represents the first record of N. phaiopleura in finfish mariculture. The species is the third cymothoid isopod from maricultured fishes in Japan. The infected fish had a large hemorrhagic wound caused by N. phaiopleura at the attachment site. Thunnus orientalis is a new host of the isopod. No cymothoid infection has so far been reported from wild individuals of T. orientalis that swims at high speeds in the oceans, and the observed occurrence of N. phaiopleura on this fish species is regarded as unusual under confined mariculture conditions. The hosts and geographical distribution records of N. phaiopleura in Japan are reviewed.