Parasites of catostomid fishes from navigation pools 8 and 9 of the upper Mississippi River (Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin) and the lower Missouri National Recreational River (Nebraska, South Dakota)

Abstract

The Mississippi River System has undergone severe alterations for navigation and flood control, and has suffered from point and non-point source pollution throughout modern times. Though parasite communities can be important indicators of habitat destruction and change, the parasite fauna of the Mississippi River System is largely unknown. In this study the parasite fauna of catostomid fishes was identified and compared between Navigation Pools 8 and 9 of the upper Mississippi River and the lower portion of the Missouri National Recreational River. A total of 141 catostomid (sucker) fishes was examined for parasites in 2003. At least 41 distinct parasitic taxa in 20 genera were identified. Suckers in Navigation Pools 8 and 9 of the upper Mississippi River harbored at least 38 different parasite species, while suckers in the Missouri National Recreational River harbored at least 18 parasite species. Two previously undescribed parasite species were recovered, and many previously described species were new records for these hosts. Results from this study provide a basis for future studies on parasites occurring in catostomids from the upper Mississippi and middle Missouri rivers.