2. Gill Maggots

3. What is it? Gill maggots parasitic copepod in the genus Achtheres Photo by Jim Negus, TWRA, Norris Reservoir Striped Bass, December 2003 Parasitic copepod from Cherokee Reservoir, TN largemouth – Jim Negus

4. No legs and little segmentation Reduced mouth parts Modified maxillae Umbrella shaped bulla Egg sacs Female * Mature males are much smaller and are free swimming

5. Life Cycle Females produce eggs in eggs sacs Nauplii stages are passed within the egg sac First copepodid stage is released from the egg sac and is free swimming plankter. After a short while they attach to fish and mature to adults Females remain attached, males mature and become free swimming. Free swimming males attach to females during copulation.

6. Recent Reported Infestations 2000Watts Barr Reservoir, TN - striped bass 2000Tim’s Ford Reservoir, TN - striped bass 2001Melton Hill Reservoir, TN - striped bass 2001Watauga Reservoir, TN - 1 smallmouth bass 2002Old Hickory Reservoir, TN - striped bass 2002Norris Reservoir, TN - striped bass 2002Smith Mountain Lake, VA - striped bass 2003Kerr Reservoir, VA - striped bass 2003Leesville Reservoir, VA - striped bass 2004Lake Norman, NC - striped bass 2004Gaston Reservoir, NC - striped bass 2004Tellico Reservoir, TN - 1 striped bass 2004Smith Mountain Lake, VA - largemouth 2005Congaree & Saluda Rivers, SC striped bass 2005Cherokee Reservoir, TN - white bass 2006Ouachita Lake, AR - striped bass 2006 Fort Patrick Henry Reservoir, TN - striped bass (angler report) 2006Keowee Reservoir, SC – spotted bass 2007 Cherokee Reservoir, TN - striped and hybrid striped bass 2007 Holston River - Cherokee Res. tailwater, TN - striped bass 2007Santee Cooper, SC - striped bass 2008Lake Murry, SC - striped bass

7. Myths 1) They kill fish. NOT! 2) They render fish non-eatable. NOT! 3) They spread to people who swim in the lake. NOT!

8. SCDNR Research

9. The End