PEARSE FISHES OF LAKE VALENCIA, VENEZUELA 



49 



Tables VII and VIII show infection of various parts of the 

 body in relation to habitats. Intestinal parasites appear to 

 enter most often fishes frequenting the mouths and courses of 

 rivers. Visceral parasites are most common in fishes from 

 rivers and muddy lake bottoms. 



TABLE VIII 



Infection of fishes of all species by habitats. Isla del Euro has rocky pebbly 

 and sandy shores; the lake shore at Maracay is very muddy and grown up with 

 rushes and other water plants; the river mouth is like the shore at Maracay; 

 the Rio Castano has sandy and rocky bottoms. The second number in a 

 column is per cent. Figures represent actual, not computed, totals for each 

 habitat. 



*Numbers in this column obtained by adding kinds of parasites occurring for each species 

 of fish in each locality. 



The fins and skin are not often infected in river fishes; in 

 fact, such parasites are infrequent in other habitats. The 

 visceral parasites are more common than those in the intestine 

 probably because they are usually more or less permanent 

 residents of a fish, whereas the enteric parasites usually pass out 

 after a time. 



