Devils Lake – Red River Basin Fish Parasite and Pathogen Project Qualitative Risk Assessment - Red River Delta Fish Parasite Results - 2006

Twenty-six species of parasites were recovered from nine species of fish hosts. A summary of results shows:

To date none of the fish parasites identified as potential pathogens to Lake Winnipeg fish by Williamson et al (2005) have been found in the Red River delta fish samples;
Two new parasites species know to be pathogenic in fish were discovered in the samples i e. Bothriocephalus acheilognathi and Sanginicola occidentalis;
The time of invasion by these two parasite species into The Hudson Bay drainage is unknown;
Bothriocephalus acheilognathi was widely distributed being present in six species of fish and found in the south and north basins of Lake Winnipeg.
Bothriocephalus acheilognathi most frequently infected (prevalence of 74%) the cyprinid fish host, Notropis atherinoides ( Emerald shiner).
Bothriocephalus acheilognathi was found exclusively in young of the year emerald shiners.
Bothriocephalus acheilognathi was recovered from the intestine of older and and larger pike (Esox lucius), walleye (Sander vitreum), sauger (Sander canadensis) white bass (Merone chrysops), goldeye (Hiodon alosoides).
The Myxozoan occurred on the gills of emerald shiner, occasionally causing severe pathology.