Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution and Fish Parasites as Biological Indicators at Arabian Gulf off Dammam Coast, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

A new approach is chosen to visualize ecosystem health by using parasite bioindicators in Arabian Gulf off Dammam cost. Three hundred and sixty fish specimens belonging to three species of fish were examined parasitological for external and internal metazoan parasites. The seasonal prevalence of the detected parasites was differing from season to another. The highest rate occurred in summer and spring while, the lowest rate was in autumn and winter, respectively. The obtained data showed that Monogeneans prevalence showed highly significant positive correlations with Crustaceans, external parasites, Digeneans. Monogeneans and external parasites prevalence showed highly significant positive correlations with Zn and Se. While, external parasites and Digeneans showed significant positive correlations with Se only. On the other hand, Monogeneans there is antagonist action with Cr and Fe and Ni. Crustaceans showed highly significant positive correlations with Zn and Se. On the other hand, Crustaceans showed highly significant negative correlations with Cr, Fe and Ni. While, digeneans showed a significant negative correlation with Cr. On the same manner, external parasites showed highly significant negative correlations with Cr and Fe.