DESCRIPTION OF THE ISOPODA AEGA PSORA (LINNAEUS, 1758) INFESTING THE RED SEA PARROTFISH "SCARUS FERRUGINEUS" IN JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA

DESCRIPTION OF THE ISOPODA AEGA PSORA
(LINNAEUS, 1758) INFESTING THE RED SEA PARROTFISH
“SCARUS FERRUGINEUS” IN JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA
AREEJ OMAR BAKHREBAH
Department of Zoology, Girls` College of Education, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT
External examination of twenty five (25) parrotfish (Scarus ferrugineus) caught from the
Red Sea at Jeddah, revealed that the gills of five fishes (20%) were infested with an isopod
parasite belonging to the family Aegidea White, 1850 and Genus Aega Leach, 1815 . The
morphological characteristics of this species were discussed in details. Comparing the
present specimens with the previously reported Aega sp. showed that the present material
could belong to the type species of the genus: Aega psora (Linnaeus, 1758). This
investigation represents the first record of Aega sp. on S. ferrugineus from the Red Sea at
Jeddah.