Arthropoda

Smit, Nico J., Malherbe, Wynand & Hadfield, Kerry A., 2017, Alien freshwater fish parasites from South Africa: Diversity, distribution, status and the way forward, International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 6 (3), pp. 386-401 : 397

4.3. Phylum Arthropoda

4.3.1. Achtheres pimelodi (syn. Achtheres micropteri )

The lernaeopodid copepod, A. pimelodi , is an ectoparasite found on the gills of various fish host in the USA, including the smallmouth bass, M. dolomieu ( Muzzall and Whelan, 2011) . Barnard (1955) presumed that A. pimelodi (using the synonym A. micropteri ) might have been introduced into South Africa with the smallmouth bass, M. dolomieu , but it is not clear whether he actually collected any from South Africa. Later, Fryer (1968) listed this species (also using the synonym A. micropteri ) in his paper on the distribution of parasitic Crustacea from African freshwater fish, but once again there was no indication on whether he collected any himself or if he was just referencing Barnard (1955). No other record of this parasite from South Africa exists and thus its current status as alien in South African waters is doubtful and needs further study.