Alien species of fish parasites in the coastal lakes and lagoons of the Southern Baltic

Alien species are now found all over the world. New fish parasites have been unintentionally introduced with infected alien fish imported for aquaculture or have sometimes spread with their intermediate invertebrate hosts transported in the ballast waters of ships. Four alien fish parasites have been recorded in Polish coastal lakes and lagoons, all parasitising eels. Three were introduced with the final host – the Japanese eel – introduced for aquaculture (Anguillicola crassus, Pseudodactylogyrus anguillae and Pseudodactylogyrus bini) and one (Paratenuisentis ambiguus) with its sole intermediate host (Gammarus tigrinus).