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Amel Bellal

  • Biodiversity Journal, 9 (1): 008-018

    Amel Bellal, Naouel Amel Brahim Tazi, Mustapha Charane & Zakia Hadjou
    Gastrointestinal helminth parasites of Lithognathus mormyrus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Perciformes Sparidae) in the Western Mediterranean Sea

    ABSTRACT
    Between December 2014 and April 2016, 235 specimens of striped seabream Lithognathus mormyrus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Perciformes Sparidae) caught along the western Algerian coast were examined for helminth parasites. This taxa includes 5 monogeneans (Lamellodiscus flagellatus, L. ignoratus, L. mormyri, L. verberis and Pagellicotyle mormyri), 13 digeneans (Lepidauchen stenostoma, Derogenes latus, Magnibursatus bartolii, Proctoeces maculatus, Holorchis pycnoporus, Lepocreadium album, L. pegorchis, Macvicaria maamouriae, M. maillardi, M. mormyri, Pycnadenoides senegalensis, Diphterostomum brusinae and Zoogonus rubellus), 3 nematodes (Hysterothylacium rhacodes, Dichelyne tripapillatus and Ascarophis sp.), 1 cestode (Scolex pleuronectis) and 2 Acanthocephala (Acanthocephaloides propinquus and A. incrassatus). All the species were recorded for the first time in the western Algerian coast in this host. Furthermore, Lepidauchen stenostoma and Hysterothylacium rhacodes are reported for the first time in the western Mediterranean. Magnibursatus bartolii, Zoogonus rubellus, Dichelyne tripapillatus, Ascarophis sp. and Scolex pleuronectis provide a new host record in Lithognathus mormyrus from the Mediterranean Sea. Epidemiological indexes (prevalence, abundance and mean intensity) were calculated for each helminth species identified in this fish. The Algerian west coast shows the highest value in the helminth species richness among all the Mediterranean coasts.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 8 (4): 889-894

    Zakia Hadjou, Zouhir Ramdane, Naouel Amel Brahim Tazi, Amel Bellal & Mustapha Charane
    Effect of parasitism on the length/weight relationship and the condition index in two groups of Pagellus acarne (Risso, 1826) (Perciformes Sparidae), parasitized and unparasitized specimens, from the Eastern Coast of Algeria

    ABSTRACT
    In the present study, the relationship between parasitism and some host biological parameters is studied for the first time in Pagellus acarne (Risso, 1826) (Perciformes Sparidae) from the eastern coast of Algeria. This study is carried out on 111 specimens, examined between April 2013 and March 2014. Parasitofauna of P. acarne is rich and various; 373 parasites belonging to different parasite groups are reported. Eleven parasite species are identified: 3 Digenea, 1 Isopoda, 3 Monogenea and 4 Nematoda, with the predominance of Nematoda (more than 50%). Our results reveal that mean intensity increases with the length of the host and varies from 4 to 8 parasites by infested host. The comparison of some biological parameters (length/weight relationship and the Fulton condition index K) does not show significant differences between parasitized and unparasitized specimens. These results allow us to deduct that P. acarne from the eastern cost of Algeria is not affected by parasitism despite the important parasite infestation.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 233-240

    Amel Bellal, Naouel Amel Brahim Tazi, Zakia Hadjou & Zitouni Boutiba
    First records of digenean trematodes of two fishes (Teleostei Sparidae) from the West Algerian coast and comparative study with Tunisian coast (Mediterranean Sea West)

    ABSTRACT
    Two species of the Teleostean Diplodus Rafinesque, 1810 Sparidae fish, Diplodus sargus (Linnaeus, 1758) (n = 134) and D. annularis (Linnaeus, 1758) (n = 60), from the Algerian west coast were examined with regards to Digenea parasites occurrence between March 2013 and December 2014. This investigation led to inventory 12 species of Digenea (Lepidauchen stenostoma, Arnola microcirrus, Magnibursatus bartolii, Proctoeces maculatus, Holorchis pycnoporus, Lepocreadium album, Wardula sarguicola, Monorchis sp., Macvicaria crassigula, Pseudopycnadena fischtali, Diphterostomum brusinae and Zoogonus rubellus). These species are reported in the selected locality situated in Oran bay for the first time. Furthermore, Lepidauchen stenostoma in D. annularis is reported for the first time in the western Mediterranean. The majority of the recorded digeneans colonize one or two parts of the host digestive tract, the intestine being the most parasitized site. The calculation of epidemiologic indices provides information on the occurrence of digeneans identified in these two hosts. The diversity of Digenea is compared with that of the Gulf of Tunis, the Bizerte lagoon and another locality in the western Mediterranean. The Algerian west coast shows the highest value in the species richness of digeneans as compared to that of all the Mediterranean coasts.