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1 February 2015 Monsters of the Sea Serpent: Parasites of an Oarfish, Regalecus russellii
Armand M. Kuris, Alejandra G. Jaramillo, John P. McLaughlin, Sara B. Weinstein, Ana E. Garcia-Vedrenne, George O. Poinar, Maria Pickering, Michelle L. Steinauer, Magaly Espinoza, Jacob E. Ashford, Gabriela L. P. Dunn
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Abstract

Examination of a small portion of the viscera of an oarfish (Regalecus russellii) recovered from Santa Catalina Island, southern California, revealed numerous tetraphyllidean tapeworm plerocercoids, Clistobothrium cf. montaukensis; 2 juvenile nematodes, Contracaecum sp.; and a fragment of an adult acanthocephalan, family Arhythmacanthidae. This suggests that the fish was relatively heavily parasitized. The presence of larval and juvenile worms suggests that oarfish are preyed upon by deep-swimming predators such as the shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchus, known to be a definitive host for the adult tapeworm, and also by diving mammals such as sperm whales, Physeter catodon L., hosts of Contracaecum spp. nematodes.

© American Society of Parasitologists 2015
Armand M. Kuris, Alejandra G. Jaramillo, John P. McLaughlin, Sara B. Weinstein, Ana E. Garcia-Vedrenne, George O. Poinar, Maria Pickering, Michelle L. Steinauer, Magaly Espinoza, Jacob E. Ashford, and Gabriela L. P. Dunn "Monsters of the Sea Serpent: Parasites of an Oarfish, Regalecus russellii," Journal of Parasitology 101(1), 41-44, (1 February 2015). https://doi.org/10.1645/14-581.1
Received: 6 June 2014; Accepted: 1 September 2014; Published: 1 February 2015
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