Lernaeid Copepod Parasitic on the Freshwater Fishes of Godavari River, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India with Description of a New Species, Lernaea notopteri n.sp. from Notopterus notopterus

Lernaeid copepods are one of the most detrimental and ubiquitous ectoparasites of cultured and wild variety freshwater fishes. River Godavari offers a dynamic habitat to a wide variety of fishes which are in turn infected by endo and ectoparasites. In a copepod parasitic survey on various species of freshwater fishes of River Godavari, Rajahmundry from 2007-2009, a total of 5 freshwater fishes were parasitized by copepods of the genus Lernaea. Four different adult species of Lernaea were found clinging to the skin of Channa punctatus, Catla catla, Barbus sp., Macrognathus aculeatus and Notopterus notopterus i.e., Lernaea bengalensis Gnanamuthu, [17], Lernaea cyprinacea Linnaeus, 1758, Lernaea cyprinacea mastacembeli Hu, [13] and a new species, Lernaea notopteri n.sp. The new lerneaid copepod, Lernaea notopteri was reported from Notopterus notopterus showed variations in cephalic arms, antenna, maxillipede and Leg-V from the other closely related species and hence was designated as new species.