BIODIVERSITY OF THE HELMINTH COMMUNITIES OF Carassius gibelio (Bloch, 1782) FROM MARITSA RIVER, BULGARIA.

This study is the first to reveal the helminth fauna and helminth community's structure of Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) from Maritsa River, Bulgaria. In 2022, ten Prussian carp specimens were collected from the Maritsa River and examined for parasites. 90% of the studied hosts harbour parasites. Two species of helminths were fixed: one from class Acanthocephala (Acanthocephalus anguillae Muller, 1780) and one from class Nematoda (Pseudocapillaria tomentosa Dujardin, 1843). The established nematode species is distinguished with high prevalence. Carassius gibelio is reported for the first time as a host for Pseudocapillaria tomentosa in Bulgaria. The river ecosystem of Maritsa is a new locality record for Pseudocapillaria tomentosa in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]