Abstract
The ectoparasite ciliate Trichodina has been recorded from above 100 species of freshwater and marine fishes. In April 2009, we investigated the trichodia infection in 13 species of marine fishes captured by emplacement net and gill net in order to understand trichodina infection status among the natural fish populations along the Namhae-Gun coast area, the southen coast of Korea. Trichodina infection was observed in 10 out of 10 sea basses Lateolabrax japonicus, 2 out of 5 finespotted flounder Pleuronichthys cornutus and 1 out of a stone flounder Kareius bicoloratus. The sea bass infected with the parasite showed hypertrophy and exfoliation in gill epithelium. In addition, hyperplasia and lamellar fusion of gill filament were noticed among naturally affected sea bass.