Outbreak of ectoparasite argulus foliaceus in broods of Zagros pupfish aphanius vladykovi in Choghakhor lagoon of Chaharmahal-o-Bakhtyari, Iran

    The present study aimed to investigate the outbreak of ectoparasites Argulus foliaceus in Zagros pupfish, mahi-e-gour-e-khari, Aphanius vladykovi ,Coad  1988, in order to determine the infesting of the brood stock in the native fish population in the habitat of  Choghakhor Lagoon of Chaharmahal-o-Bakhtyari of Iran during the spawning season. It is reported for the first time from the fish A.vladykovi in Iran. The results showed that 51% of sampled A.vladykovi broods were infested with A. Foliaceus (as 70% of the sampled females and 36% of the sampled males).     The high average population density of the argulids in 100 ml. of water samples were observed in the low depth water bodies with clay bottoms (6.8±0.5) and gravel  bottoms (3.2±0.4) as well as in their spawning nest in the beneath of the aquatic weeds (4.5±0.3). The attendance of the argulids to the spawning localities of the broods host in the low depth waters, and the presence of A.vladykovi broods among the lessened water depth of habitats through seasonally declined depth of the lagoon could explain the heavy infection of the hosts. Moreover, the female behaviours as a prolonged reproduction and spawning behaviours, and their body sensitivities allowed the argulids to utilize the spectrums of their habitats and the more outbreaks.