Endoparasites of the subantarctic fur seal Arctocephalus tropicalis from Gough Island

Abstract

Two hundred and fourteen subantarctic fur seals Arctocephalus tropicalis, culled at Gough Island, South Atlantic Ocean, were examined grossly for endoparasites. Respiratory and alimentary tracts were searched in particular. Unweaned individuals only harboured tracheal mites Orthohalarachne diminuata, whilst larval cestodes Phyllobothrium delphini were found in subcutaneous blubber of the majority of older animals. In addition, pseudophyllidean cestodes Diphyllo-bothrium sp. predominated in the caecal area, and anisakine nematodes Anisakis simplex and Contracaecum osculatum in stomachs. A. tropicalis is a new host record for the tetraphyllidean cestode Monorygma grimaldii, an incidental parasite in this case.