Ecology of the acanthocephalan Sclerocollum rubrimaris Schmidt and Paperna, 1978 (Rhadinorhynchidae: Gorgorhynchinae) from wild populations of rabbitfish (genus Siganus) in the northern Red Sea

The abundance, host relationships and microhabitat of Sclerocollum rubrimaris Schmidt & Paperna. 1978 (Rhadinorhynchidae: Gorgorhynchinae) were investigated in wild populations of the herbivorous rabbitfish (Siganus spp.) from the Gulf of Eilat, northern Red Sea. Siganus rivulatus (Forsskål, 1775) and S. argenteus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825), judging by the high infection prevalences, are the primary definite hosts, whereas S. luridus (Ruppell, 1828) was only rarely infected and thus regarded as an accessory host. Overdispersion of S. rubrimaris suprapopu‐lations was greatest in S. rivulatus. Juvenile worms occurred year‐round, but enhanced recruitment was evident in both host populations between February and July. A high parasite abundance observed during spring (March‐May) was correlated with an extensive period of pre‐spawning algal grazing by the host fish. In S. rivulatus, parasite abundance increased with increasing host size, whereas in S. argenteus it was highest in young hosts, and decreased in larger fish. The variability of infection patterns in the three rabbitfish species probably stems not only from parasite specificity but also from the different habitats, feeding habits and diet preferences. Sclerocollum rubrimaris has a restricted host range and is not known to infect other herbivorous coral reef fish. The main region of attachment of S. rubrimaris is the anterior 5–25% of the gut in both S. rivulatus and S. argenteus, and the mean position of immature worms is significantly more posterior than that of sexually mature individuals.