The Department of Ichthyology and Fish Diseases has been established in 1996.
Director of the Department is Professor Fotini Athanassopoulou, a Veterinary Surgeon (DVM,
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece) specialized in Aquatic Health and Fish Diseases (MSc,
PhD - University of Stirling, U.K., MRCVS and Dip.ECAAH). Recently Prof. Athanassopoulou has
been appointed as President of European College of Aquatic Animal Health – ECAAH)
http://www.larissanet.gr/2015/01/13/diethnis-diakrisi-gia-kathigitria-tou-panepistimiouthessalias/
Dr. Panagiotis Pantazis has been a Lecturer of the Department and has recently been appointed as an
Assistant Proferssor of Ichthyology and Aquaculture. Dr. Pantazis has studied Animal Husbandry
(B.Sc, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece) and is specialized in Aquaculture Nutrition (Ph.D.
University of Stirling, U.K.).
The main research activities of the Department focus on three research and teaching targets:
1.
Management of the aquatic animal health, hygiene and quality of the final products
and public health.
2.
Study of the aquatic wildlife, mammals and environment.
3.
Development and application of effective and innovative zootechnical methods in
aquaculture.
The Department and its staff are well known in the Mediterranean area for the experience in
fish disease research and diagnostics, and particularly in the field of parasitological diseases
Teaching targets:
Terminology of aquatic diseases and international abbreviations of diseases
Principles and differences of diagnosis in specific aquatic ecosystems, species and stage
of culture.
Principles, factors and associations involving disease outbreaks in farmed and wild
aquatic species. Epidemiology principles in freshwater and marine cultured aquatic
animals.
Methods of sampling and dispatching pathological material according to disease diagnosis
targets and farming systems.
Differential diagnosis of diseases of aquatic animals in terms of clinical signs, necropsy
and laboratory results
Differences on welfare, immune system and disease diagnosis between terrestrial and
aquatic animals.
Principles of prevention, treatment strategies and dose calculation in the aquatic
environment.
Principles of toxicology and preventing pollution in the aquatic environment and the final
product.
Diagnosis of notifiable diseases and main legislation concerning fish farming, diseases of
aquatic organisms and aquaculture products.
Resolving different clinical cases.
As far as the third activity is concerned and for the last seven years the Department has investigated
the optimum conditions for the culture of rainbow trout (Onchorynchus mykiss) tench (Tinca tinca),
carp (Cyprinus carpio) and freshwater crayfish (Astacus astacus) in recirculated systems. There is also
ongoing research on the endocrinology and reproduction of various freshwater species (i.e. Sander
lucioperca) - (http://www.frov.jcu.cz/en/aktuality-2013/dr-panagiotis-pantazis-realize-an-experimentat-the-ffpw-usb)
and
the
quality
improvement
of
aquatic
gametes
http://aquagamete.webs.upv.es/greece/. The Department has also demonstrated ongoing research in
marine fish larvae and juveniles focusing mainly in improving their husbandry techniques and feeding
protocols. There is also increasing interest in the culture of various bivalves (scallops, oysters) while it
has also demonstrated considerable research activity in the culture of echinoderms (sea urchins).
The Department is also investigating the effect of environmental disturbances and specific pollutants
on the life cycle of various marine and freshwater species, which are considered as toxicity indicators
(i.e. marine and freshwater invertebrates).
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Selected Publications
Kolygas, M.N., Gourzioti, E., Vatsos, I.N. and Athanassopoulou, F. 2012. Identification of
Tenacibaculum maritimum strains from marine farmed fish in Greece. Veterinary Record,
170(24), pp.623.
Tyrpenou,
AE,
Rigos,
G.
& Athanassopoulou,
F.
2002.
Determination of
chloramphenicol residues in gilthead seabream Sparus aurata L. tissues by HPLC‐PDA.
Journal of liquid chromatography & related technologies 25 (4) 655‐663.
Karagouni, E., Athanassopoulou F., P. Tsagozis, E. Ralli, Th. Moustakareas, K. Lytra and E. Dotsika
(2005a). The impact of a successful anti-myxosporean treatment on the phagocyte functions of
juvenile and adult Sparus aurata L. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMMUNOPATHOLOGY AND
PHARMACOLOGY 18(1) 121-132.
Karagouni, E., F. Athanassopoulou, A. Lytra, C. Komis, E. Dotsika (2005).
Parasitostatic/parasiticidal and immunomodulatory effect of innovative treatments against
Myxobolus sp. infection in Diplodus puntazzo Couvier. Veterinary Parasitology 134, 215-228.
Tsantilas,H., A. D. Galatos, F. Athanassopoulou, N. N. Prassinos. (2006). Efficacy of 2phenoxyethanol as an anaesthetic for two size classes of white sea bream, Aquaculture, 253 (1-4),
64-70. Diplodus sargus, and sharpsnout sea bream, Diplodus puntazzo C.
Kokokiris L, Fostier A, Athanassopoulou Petridis D, Kentouri M. (2006) Gonadal changes and blood
sex steroids levels during natural sex inversion in the protogynous Mediterranean red porgy, Pagrus
pagrus (Teleostei : Sparidae) GEN COMP ENDOCR 149 (1): 42-48
Munoz, P., Cuesta A., Athanassopoulou F., Golomazou E., Crespo S., Padros F., Sitja-Bobadilla A.,
Albinana, G., Esteban, A., Esteban MA; Alvarez_pellitero, P., Meseguer, J.(2007) Sharpsnout
sea bream (Diplodus puntazzo) humoral immune response against the parasite Enteromyx m leei
(Myxozoa). Fish and shellfish immunology, 23 (3), 636-645u.
Pantazis, P., Benekos, G., & G. Papadomichelakis. 2014. Early weaning diets for gilthead sea bream
(Sparus aurata L.) and their potential use in Hellenic marine fish hatcheries. Aquaculture
International, 22(5), pp. 1621-1636.
DOI: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10499-014-9769-3
Pantazis, P. 2013. The potential of freshwater crayfish culture in Greece. World Aquaculture
Magazine, 44 (2), pp. 36-38,
https://www.was.org/magazine/Contents.aspx?Id=46
Karamaligas, J.X., Pantazis, P.A. & Athanassopoulou, F., 2012. The effect of increased dietary
rapeseed levels on the growth, survival, health and flesh quality of the common carp (Cyprinus
carpio L.). Aquaculture America 2012, Las Vegas, Nevada, Feb 29-March 2, 2012, Book of
Abstracts
https://www.was.org/meetingabstracts/ShowAbstract.aspx?Id=25235
Pantazis, P. 2012. The Effect of Stocking Density on the Growth and Survival of Sub-Adult Tench
(Tinca tinca Linnaeus 1758). The Israeli Journal of Aquaculture-Bamidgeh, Vol 64
http://www.siamb.org.il/view.aspx?aid=1155&cid=1368
Pantazis, P., 2009. The culture potential of Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck 1816) in Greece: a
preliminary report. Aquaculture International 17(6), pp545-552 (DOI 10.1007/s10499-008-92235). (I.F.2012 -1.037)
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10499-008-9223-5/fulltext.html
Pantazis, P., Apokotou, E., 2009. The Effect of Substituting Fishmeal with Alternative Protein
Sources on the Growth and Survival of Tench Juveniles (Tinca tinca Linnaeus 1758). Animal
Science Review (Επιθεώρηση Ζωοτεχνικής Επιστήμης), Official Journal of the Hellenic Society
of Animal Production (Επιστημονικό Περιοδικό της Ελληνικής Ζωοτεχνικής Εταιρείας),Vol.40,
pp. 55-62. http://eaap.org/docs/HSAP_abstracts_no.40.pdf
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