Presence of Anisakis Larvae on the Demersal Fish Purple-Spotted Bigeye Priacanthus tayenus Richardson, 1846 From the North Coast of Java, Indonesia

The purple-spotted bigeye (Priacanthus tayenus Richardson, 1846) is a demersal fish species with significant commercial value, high market demand, and abundant production. The objective of this study is to investigate the occurrence and intensity of Anisakis larvae infection in purple-spotted bigeye from the northern coast of Java. This research provides information on the distribution of the Anisakis infection, which helps fisheries authorities to understand the risks to human health, reduce harm to the fishing industry, and use these parasites as signs of environmental health. In total, 407 samples of purple-spotted bigeye were gathered from the north coast of Java, namely Lamongan (East Java), Rembang (Central Java), and Indramayu (West Java). Fish were collected from the fishermen who landed the fish in the fishing port from July to October 2023. The highest prevalence of Anisakis larvae infection was found in purple-spotted bigeye caught from the north coast of Central Java (70.7 %), while the lowest prevalence of Anisakis infection was found in samples from West Java (34.8 %). However, the highest mean intensity of Anisakis infection was found in samples originating from West Java (16.45 larvae infected host-1), and the lowest in fish from East Java (7.50 larvae infected host-1). Anisakis larvae are mostly found in the body cavities of purple-spotted bigeye. Direct sequencing of the ITS-rDNA region confirms the Anisakis nematode larvae isolated from the purplespotted bigeye were Anisakis typica.