Species composition and infection levels of Anisakis (Nematoda: Anisakidae) in the skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus) in the Northwest Pacific

Parasites can be used as biological tags to assess stock structures in various marine fish species. In the present study, the species composition and infection levels of parasitic nematodes of the genus Anisakis in the skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis were examined in the Northwest Pacific and adjacent seas. A total of 867 third-stage larvae of Anisakis were collected from 112 skipjack tunas captured around Japan and in other subtropical localities. All larvae were identified as A. berlandi, A. pegreffii, A. simplex (s.s.), A. typica, and A. physeteris (s.l.) by the direct sequencing of the mitochondrial cox2 gene and real-time PCR assays targeting the nuclear ITS region. Anisakis species composition differed among northeastern Japan, the Sea of Japan, and other areas (central Japan, the Nansei Islands, and subtropical region), which is largely concordant with previous stock discrimination of skipjack tuna. Molecular phylogenetic analysis resulted in two intraspecific genetic groups in A. simplex (s.s.), one of which occurred almost exclusively in northeastern Japan. This could be a useful indicator for stock discrimination. Skipjack tunas from northeastern Japan were also characterized by a remarkable variety in the intensity of A. simplex (s.s.), suggesting the commingling of individuals with different migration patterns. This idea might be further justified by the geographic distribution of two genetically distinct groups of A. physeteris (s.l.).