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This study is devoted to parasitism caused by the tapeworm Ligula intestinalis (L.) in the roach Rutilus rutilus (L.), an invasive species, in three Algerian dam lakes dependent on three different watersheds. We follow the quantitative parameters of parasitism and the impact of parasitism on the development of fish. From March 2016 to February 2017, we examined 578, 565 and 629 individuals in Sekkak, ghrib and guenitra dams respectively. The rate of infection varies depending on the site (p-value < 5%). The prevalence is 0.86% in Sekkak, 2.22% in Guenitra and 10.26% in Ghrib. Respectively, the mean intensity of infection is equal to 1.2, 5.2 and 1.3. The occurrence of the parasite is higher in all dams during autumn. Major allometric growth was observed in parasitized individuals in the three dams (b = 3.19 for ghrib, b = 3.98 for Sekkak and b = 3.44 for guenitra) and minor allometric growth in non-parasitized individuals (b = 2.98 to ghrib, b = 2.98 to Sekkak and b = 2.92 to guenitra), with a significant difference between parasitized and healthy individuals in the three dams (p < 5%). Overweight fish are influenced by parasitism in ghrib dam (parasitized individuals: Kp = 1.03 ± 0.07 and healthy individuals: Ks = 1.06 ± 0.11 (p < 5%)) contrariwise to Sekkak and guenitra (parasitized individu-als: Kp = 1.09 ± 0.18 in Sekkak, 0.97 ± 0.09 in guenitra; healthy individuals: Ks = 1.04 ± 0.14 in Sekkak, 1.03 ± 0.12 in guenitra) (p > 5%). At ghrib dam, the parasitism varies depending on the groups of both size and age (p < 5%), on the contrary to the condition factor (p > 5%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of the emergence, duration, and decline phases in epizootic cycles are well known for humans and some crops, but they are poorly understood for host-parasite systems in the wild. Parasites may be particularly insidious as they are often introduced unintentionally, simultaneously with their hosts, and later transferred to species in the new location. Here we investigate the epizootic dynamics of the tapeworm Ligula intestinalis in the Hamiz reservoir, Algeria, and explore its effects on the cyprinid fish Barbus callensis. Regular sampling was conducted from October 2005 to February 2008 with intermittent surveys carried out until 2010. Five percent of the 566 specimens of B. callensis that were caught were infected, with the maximum number of parasites found in spring. There was no obvious difference in weight between uninfected fish and infected ones, and infection did not affect fish condition. However, infected fish were significantly longer than uninfected fish and had inhibited gonad development. The proportion of infected fish caught was significantly higher in year 1 and by the second winter, infection collapsed to zero. The Ligula infection thus appeared to have minimal ecological effects and be of a temporary nature, thus exhibiting an epizootic cycle. Taken together, our data indicates that this infection declined or even failed during our study period. Failure may be due to the specific genetic strain of Ligula, but invasive carp may also have been influential in both the introduction and subsequent decline of this parasite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]