Abstract
Seven fish species (Aspius vorax, Barbus grypus, B. luteus, B. sharpeyi, B. xanthopterus, Cyprinus carpio and Liza abu) were collected from Al-Husainia creek, Karbala province, mid Iraq during the period from May 2005 till April 2006. Upon their inspection, these fishes were found to be infected with 26 ectoparasite species which included two ciliated protozoans, 16 monogeneans, metacercariae of one digenetic trematode and seven crustaceans. The case of single infection was noticed in 12 parasite species, followed with the double infection (in six parasite species) and the triple infection (in five parasite species). B. luteus harbored the highest number of parasite species (16 species), followed with both A. vorax and L. abu (8 species each), both B. xanthopterus and C. carpio (6 species each), B. sharpeyi (5 species) and B. grypus (4 species). The study revealed the occurrence of five monogeneans for the first time in Iraq as well as the record of 10 new fish hosts in Iraq for eight ectoparasite species.