Effect of metacercarial infection on some physiological traits of roach underyearlings

Abstract

The influence of infection with trematode metacercariae on some physiological and biochemical characteristics has been studied in the underyearlings of roach. The parameters that were studied are found to depend on the parasite localization. The body length and weight values of infected underyearlings with muscular localization of metacercariae are lower than in uninfected fish and the glycogen content is higher. On the contrary, individuals with infected eyes display greater body length and weight when coupled with lower glycogen content in comparison with parasite-free fish. The infection with metacercariae has no effect on the activity of glycosidases. Different glycogen levels in the underyearlings with muscular and ocular localization of metacercariae are presumably linked with the locomotor activity of the fish.