Prevalence of myxozoan parasites in freshwater fishes of Ranjit Sagar Wetland, Punjab (India)

As many as 1475 freshwater fishes belonging to 10 genera were examined during August, 2013 to September, 2016 from different catchment sites of Ranjit Sagar Wetland for the presence of myxozoan parasites. Various organs such as gills, fins, skin, and scales were found to be infected with plasmodia of various species belonging to three genera-Myxobolus, Thelohanellus and Henneguya. Out of these, the most prevalent genus was Myxobolus and as many as 13 species of this genus were recorded, 7 species of Thelohanellus and 2 species of Henneguya. The infection rate was highest in P. ticto (53.36%) followed by 53.33% in Cirrhinus reba, 47.30% in Labeo rohita, 42% in Garra gotyla, 40% in L. dero, 37.21% in Puntius sophore, 32.50% in L. bata, 31.25% in Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, 25.66% in Crossocheilus latius. No infection was recorded in Tor putitora.