Coral reefs are massive areas of calcium carbonate in the oceans and are among the ecosystems having high biodiversity, including 700 coral species, 600 mollusks, and nearly 4,000 fishes. Research on the parasites that infect Vietnamese coral reef fish are limited. Examinations of 116 individuals of 9 reef fishes have been conducted to date. | Journal of Fisheries science and Technology Special issue - 2015 DIGENEAN DIVERSITY OF REEF FISHES IN KHANH HOA PROVINCE, VIET NAM Dang Thuy Binh1, Tran Quang Sang2, Dang Nguyen Anh Tuan2 ABSTRACT Coral reefs are massive areas of calcium carbonate in the oceans and are among the ecosystems having high biodiversity, including 700 coral species, 600 mollusks, and nearly 4,000 fishes. Research on the parasites that infect Vietnamese coral reef fish are limited. Examinations of 116 individuals of 9 reef fishes have been conducted to date. We have detected 8 digeneans (Bivesicula claviformis, Lecithochirium sp., Allobacciger diplorchis, Cainocreadium labracis, Cholepotes sp., Carneophallus sp., Tubulovesicula sp. and Tetrochetus sp.). Two clownfishes and a goatfish were infected by two species, while only 1 digenean infected all remaining fishes. The highest () and lowest (4%) prevalence was for Tubulovesicula sp. and Carneophallus sp. and Cholepotes sp. on Trachinocephalus myops and Parupeneus multifasciatus, respectively. Tubulovesicula sp. on Trachinocephalus myops had a mean intensity of 22, and 1 for Bivesicula claviformis, Carneophallus sp., Cholepotes sp., and Allobacciger diplorchis on Amphiprion perideraion, Amphiprion polymnus, Parupeneus multifasciatus and Scolopsis taeniopterus. As an ecological and economic importance fish species, comprehensive research on parasite infections of coral reefs can help in fisheries management and sustainable development. Keywords: Coral reef, marine fish, parasite, biodiversity, Vietnam I. INTRODUCTION Coral reefs are massive areas of calcium carbonate in the oceans and are ecosystems having high biodiversity (Vazhiyil, 2009). Currently, the best preservation zones contain over 700 coral species, 600 molluscs, and nearly 4,000 fish species (Spalding et al. 2001; Paulay, 1997). But, in fact, only about one third of all marine fish species live on the coral reefs (Burke et al. 2002). Coral reef fishes are commonly .
