Abstract
M.Sc.
A general introduction provides the foremost morphological characteristics of the genus.
A breeding colony of Argulus japonicus was kept under laboratory conditions in order to study sperm transfer. Pairs in copula were studied with histology and scanning electron microscopy. Sections of copulating pairs revealed sperm on the accessory copulatory structures of the male; and scanning electron microscopy showed that sperm transfer occurs in three phases which can be differentiated to ten different stages. Sperm transfer occurs via a spermatophore in A. japonicus. This is the first observation of a spermatophore in Argulus.
For the second part of this study, seven specimens of an unknown freshwater ectoparasitic crustacean were collected from red tilapia fish, kept for consumption at the “Langat Fishing, Seafood and Beer Garden” Restaurant just off the Langat River in Selangor, Malaysia. Initial investigation showed that the specimens were of the genus Argulus. Light and scanning electron microscopical studies were subsequently used to identify the species. A comparison with all Argulus species formerly described from Asia and the surrounding islands was conducted. The species was identified as Argulus coregoni, due to the presence of the roughly triangular shaped anterior respiratory areas and the kidney bean shaped posterior respiratory areas. Additionally, the abdomen with sharply pointed terminal ends as well as the presence of characteristic accessory protrusions on the second
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swimming leg of the male specimens confirmed this identification. This species has not previously been described from Malaysia.
The final chapter of this dissertation contains an overall summative discussion of the different parts of this study and highlights future possible research avenues.