Fish blood parasites from middle Kura basin of Azerbaijan

Abstract

It was studied blood parasites of fish belonging to 5 families and 15 species of 4 reservoirs of Azerbaijan (Shamkirchay River, Garayazi Lake, Gravel pit and Shamkir water reservoir). Parasites of the genera Trypanosoma and Cryptobia were found in the blood of fish. We studied 235 specimens of fish and found that 8 species had blood parasites. These species are: Pike, Vobla, Murzo, Bream, Prussian carp (Goldfish), Carp, Catfish, Zander. Other spices of fish such as Trout, Chub, hybrid of Vobla and Bream, Kura khramulya, Kura barbel, Kura shemaya and Grass carp were free from the blood parasites. To infect aquatic vertebrates with blood parasites in water reservoirs there should be first of all conditions for living and development of leeches – carriers of blood parasites which prefer well-warmed stagnant or slow-flowing water reservoirs with abundant vegetation. This article presents the hydro-biological characteristics of the studied water reservoirs.