STUDY OF THE MORPHOLOGY AND PARASITIC INFECTION OF THE CUTTLEFISH, SEPIA PHARAONIS EHRENBERG, 1831 (CEPHALOPODA: SEPIIDAE) IN THE MARINE WATER OFF KUWAIT

In the present study, 200 adult specimens of the cuttlefish, Sepia pharaonis (119 male and 81 female) were obtained from a Fish Market (Souq Sharaq, Capital –Governorate) in the State of Kuwait, during the period from January to June 2006. They were examined for external and internal parasites as well as their morphology and anatomy of the male and female specimens.No adult or larval stages of parasites were detected externally nor internally in the studied samples. The absence of parasitic infection in the studied cuttlefish was discussed.This is the first study so far dealing with the cuttlefish Sepia pharaonis morphology, anatomy and posible infection with parasites in the marine waters off Kuwait.