Pathology of attachment and vascular damage associated with larval stages of Dissonus manteri Kabata, 1966 (Copepoda: Dissonidae) on the gills of coral trout, Plectropomus leopardus (Lacépède) (Serranidae)

Abstract. Tissue responses in Plectropomus leopardus gills infested with Dissonus manteri copepodid and ehalimus larvae were almost entirely proliferative, with little or no cellular infiltration. The pathological changes were related to attachment, feeding and parasite size, and comprised progressive mechanical erosion, epithelial hyperplasia and fibrosis. When present, infiltrating cells were associated with initial attachment by the copepodid and with the frontal filament basal plate. Approximately 2.4% of the respiratory area was lost as a result of direct vascular damage. Disruption of branchial blood flow resulted from the burrowing and feeding activities of the larvae and compression of adjacent vessels as the parasite increased in size. Chalimus stages were attached by a frontal filament which consisted of a stem with a terminal anchor, and a basal plate in contact with the cartilaginous filament ray. Following chalimus release, the branchial tissue appeared to repair rapidly. No frontal filament remains were found.