Marine Biology Commons^™

Meta-Analytic Summary Of Parasites And Diseases Of Elasmobranchs Found In Florida Waters, Alexis S. Modzelesky

HCNSO Student Capstones

Elasmobranchs have conservational and commercial importance. There is a need for a more complete understanding of their health, due to their ability to shape trophic webs and their money-making potential with fishers and ecotourists. Sharks have been known to influence the strength of food webs, including reef ecosystems where many fish species are harvested for food. The investigation of pathogenic agents and diseases in elasmobranchs has been biased to favor those natural enemies that inhabit the digestive system and epidermal surfaces. Certain groups of parasites such as cestodes, copepods, and monogeneans, were most often recorded in this study. The bacterial …