Abstract
Effects of different salinities (8, 17, 24, 27, 30 and 34 ppt) on the egg laying, egg hatching and oncomiracidial swimming behavior of the monogenean Neobenedenia girellae were examined in vitro . Egg laying ability was affected at 8, 17, 24 ppt salinity and the number of laid eggs at these salinities were significantly lower than at 34 ppt salinity (control). Egg hatching rates at 8 and 17 ppt salinity were significantly lower than that of the control. The rate of non-motile oncomiracidia at 8 and 17 ppt salinity was significantly higher than that of the control. The results suggest that culturing fish in seawater with low salinity could be effective to control N. girellae infections in aquaculture.
