Anisakid nematodes in Black Sea harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena ssp. relicta) from the Turkish Western Black Sea: with notes about association with body length and stomach content

Parasites are naturally present in the natural gastrointestinal fauna of marine mammals without necessarily causing any pathology. However, under various stress conditions, parasites can cause pathological disorders in the gastrointestinal system. There is insufficient information on parasite fauna of mammals living in the Black Sea waters off the Turkish coast. This study examined the stomach contents of bycaught and stranded harbour porpoises collected between 2002 and 2003 along the Turkish coast of the western Black Sea for parasitic presence. In a previous stomach content study, 450 nematode fragments (including 232 intact specimens) were occasionally collected from 33 harbour porpoises (27 females and 6 males) and preserved in 70% ethanol at room temperature. Nematodes were detected in 81% of the examined harbour porpoise stomachs. The nematodes were identified as Contracaecum spp. and Hysterothylacium spp. in their larval forms, as well as adult specimens of the family Anisakidae (Railliet & Henry, 1912). Understanding the parasitological fauna of cetaceans is crucial for both their health and conservation efforts. This study presents the first findings on the parasitological findings of harbour porpoises from the Turkish coast of the western Black Sea and explores the association between stomach contents, parasitological findings, and body length.