Deep-sea discovery: Pigtail parasites on rare fish
Scientists have captured extraordinary footage of parasites on the head of a deep-sea fish, resembling pig tails. This new discovery comes from the depths of the ocean in the South Sandwich region, an archipelago of eleven volcanic islands in the southern Atlantic.
During a research expedition in the South Sandwich Islands, scientists recorded an unusual phenomenon. Two parasites of the species Lophoura szidati were observed on the head of a deep-sea fish from the genus Macrourus, known as a grenadier. In the video, which the Schmidt Ocean Institute shared in a Facebook post, two small crustaceans are positioned on both sides of the host's head.
Extraordinary discovery on the head of a deep-sea fish
James Bernot, an evolutionary biologist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, explained that these parasites feed on the blood and body fluids of their host, using mouthparts that pierce the muscles of the fish, according to the Live Science portal.
Parasites feed on their host
Lophoura szidati is a parasite species from the family Sphyriidae, commonly found on fish from the genus Macrourus in Antarctic waters. Bernot describes that these copepods are mesoparasites, meaning they are partially inside and partially outside their host. The video shows how the middle and rear parts of the parasites protrude from the fish, while the front part of their bodies is embedded in the muscles.
These parasites go through several stages of development. Bernot noted that Copepods are surprisingly good mothers for invertebrates. They carry eggs in pouches attached to the body until larvae hatch, which then go through several larval stages before finding their own host. Although little is known about their life cycle, these parasites can live for several months, and even after their death, remnants of their bodies may remain in the host for many years.
It's worth noting that knowledge about deep-sea fish parasites in Antarctic waters is limited, making this discovery particularly valuable for scientists studying oceanic biodiversity.
