Associate Professor Ian Whittington

Biography/ Background

Ian Whittington is a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Earth & Environmental Sciences (SEES) at The University of Adelaide and a Principal Research Scientist in the Parasitology Section at The South Australian Museum. His office is in the Science Centre of the SA Museum from where he heads the Monogenean Research Laboratory. Ian also leads the Marine Parasitology Laboratory in SEES (Darling Building) where he supervises Honours and PhD students investigating a variety of marine parasites. He is also a member of the Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology & Biodiversity at The University of Adelaide and sits on its Management Committee.

The prime research interests for Ian embrace the biology, systematics, ecology, ultrastructure and adaptations to parasitism by the Monogenea, a class of ectoparasitic flatworms that can live on the skin, fins, gills, oral cavity, cornea, nasal tissue, pharyngeal tooth pads, urogenital system (cloaca, rectal gland, oviducts) and body cavity of principally elasmobranch and teleost fishes. Monogenean parasites have a direct life-cycle and can proliferate rapidly on fish held in captivity. Therefore, knowledge and understanding of Monogenea is important for the burgeoning aquaculture industry worldwide and for aquarists responsible for public aquaria globally.

Ian is a member of the editorial boards of the following journals: Systematic Parasitology; Folia Parasitologica; Journal of Natural History. He is a member of the ARC / NH&MRC Research Network in Parasitology. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Associate Professor (Level D), SEES, The University of Adelaide, 2006-; Principal Research Scientist, Parasitology Section, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, 2006-; Senior Research Fellow, SEES, The University of Adelaide, 2002-; Senior Research Scientist, Parasitology Section, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, 2001-05; Senior Lecturer, Department of Microbiology & Parasitology, The University of Queensland, 1997-2001; Director, Heron Island Research Station of The University of Queensland, 1996-99; Lecturer, Department of Parasitology, The University of Queensland, 1993-96; Queen Elizabeth II Fellow, Department of Parasitology, The University of Queensland, 1990-92; ARC Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The University of Queensland, 1989; University of Queensland Postdoctoral Fellow, 1987-88; PhD student, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, U.K., 1982-86.

POSITIONS HELD, AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS

Chair, Local Organising Committee for the 2008 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. and ARC / NH&MRC Research Network for Parasitology, Adelaide, 2006-; Visiting Professor, Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), La Paz, Mexico, 2006; Member, International Committee of the International Symposium on Fish Parasites, 2003-; Management Committee, Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology & Biodiversity, The University of Adelaide, 2003-; State Representative (South Australia) & Council Member, Australian Society for Parasitology Inc., 2003-05; Member, International Committee of the Fifth International Symposium on Monogenea, 2001-05; Editorial Board, Journal of Natural History (Taylor & Francis), 2001-; Editorial Board, Folia Parasitologica (Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), 2000-; Co-editor, Systematic Parasitology (Springer), 1999-; Chair, Organizing Committee, 4th International Symposium on Monogenea, 1997-2001; Member, Organizing Committee, 75th Meeting of Australian Coral Reef Society, 1997; Member, Scientific Organizing Committee, 3rd International Symposium on Monogenea, 1994-97; Section Editor-Invited Reviews, International Journal for Parasitology (Elsevier), 1995-97; Section Editor-Book Reviews & Meeting Reports, International Journal for Parasitology (Elsevier), 1993-94; Queen Elizabeth II Fellow, The University of Queensland, 1990-92; University of Queensland Postdoctoral Fellow, 1987-88; Prize for performance in Final Assessment of B.Sc. (Honours), Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, U.K., 1982; Reckitt & Colman Scholar, Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, U.K., 1981-82.

Teaching Interests

CURRENT/RECENT RESEARCH STUDENTS & PROJECTS

Vanessa Glennon, PhD project: Monogenean flatworms of the southern fiddler ray, Trygonorrhina fasciata, in South Australia: systematics, biology & insight into life history evolution.

Kate Hutson, PhD project: Wild kingfish populations in Spencer Gulf: potential for parasite interactions with farmed fish, discrimination of farmed and wild fish and assessment of migrations.

Julia Lackenby, Honours project: Life cycle parameters of Benedenia seriolae (Monogenea: Capsalidae) parasitic on yellowtail kingfish, Seriola lalandi. (Completed June 2005).

Allan Mooney, PhD project: Biology of Zeuxapta seriolae (Monogenea: Polyopisthocotylea: Heteraxinidae) from gills of kingfish, Seriola lalandi in South Australia.

Elizabeth Perkins, Honours project: Multigene phylogenetic analyses of the Capsalidae (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea), ectoparasites of marine fish. (Completed November 2005).

Elizabeth Perkins, PhD project: Molecular systematics, phylogeny & radiation of Capsalidae (Monogenea).

David Schmarr, PhD project: A holistic approach to discriminate stocks of blue mackerel (Scomber australisicus) in Australasia.

Rissa Williams, PhD project: Studies on oral chemotherapeutants against skin & gill Monogenea of commercially farmed finfish.

UNDERGRADUATE COURSES
Zoology II (semester II); Marine Ecology III (semester II).

Professional Associations

Membership of Scientific Societies: American Society of Parasitologists; Asian Fisheries Society; Australian Coral Reef Society; Australian Marine Sciences Association; Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Society; Australian Society for Parasitology Inc.; British Society for Parasitology; Helminthological Society of Washington; Oceania Chondrichthyan Society.

Qualifications

BSc (Hons), The University of East Anglia, Norwich, U.K., 1982

PhD, The University of East Anglia, Norwich, U.K., 1986

Research Interests

My major research foci include: 1) the biology, systematics & phylogeny of the Capsalidae (Monogenea); 2) the biology, systematics & phylogeny of the Monocotylidae (Monogenea); 3) the biology, identity, systematics, discrimination & pathogenicity of Neobenedenia spp. (Monogenea: Capsalidae); 4) Monogenea in finfish aquaculture: knowledge of parasite biology to assist treatment & control; 5) Monogenea of elasmobranch & teleost fish: adaptations to parasitism; 6) adaptations for attachment to fish hosts by Monogenea: chemical (adhesives) & mechanical methods; 7) phylogeny of the Monopisthocotylea (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea).

To view other websites that cover some of my past and ongoing research, try:

Ian Whittington at The South Australian Museum

Ian Whittington's ExpertGuide.com.au Entry

CURRENT & RECENT POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS & PROJECTS (for student projects, see Teaching Interests)

Dr Leslie Chisholm: Phylogeny & systematics of Capsalidae (Monogenea): morphological assessments & revisions of species worldwide

Dr Leslie Chisholm: Biology, ecology & systematics of Monocotylidae (Monogenea)

Dr Ingo Ernst: Integrated management of pathogenic monogenean (flatworm) parasite infections in aquaculture of Seriola spp.

CURRENT & RECENTLY FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS

2002-present:

2005-07 Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery: $188,000 to I.D. Whittington: Marine flatworm parasites of elasmobranchs: a unique model for experiments exploring invasion strategies, biology and specificity to help understand parasitism.

2005-07 ARC Discovery: $200,000 to I.D. Whittington & S.C. Donnellan: Phylogeny & radiation of flatworm ectoparasites from marine fish using morphology & genetics, with novel approaches to identify pathogenic species.

2005-06 Scientific Visits to the United States of America, Canada & Mexico Program, Australian Academy of Science: $10,600 to I.D. Whittington: Neobenedenia (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea: Capsalidae), a genus of ectoparasitic flatworms of wild & cultivated fishes with special diversity in Mexico: identification, systematics & biology.

2005 Wildlife Conservation Fund: $4,495 to B.M. Gillanders, I.D. Whittington & S.C. Donnellan: An assessment of the utility of parasites as indicators of population structure in the giant Australian cuttlefish, Sepia apama.

2005 Sir Mark Mitchell Research Foundation: $4,999 to V. Glennon & I.D. Whittington: Monogenean flatworms of the southern fiddler ray, Trygonorrhina fasciata, in South Australia: providing insight into life history evolution.

2004 University of Adelaide Faculty of Sciences Strategic Research Scheme: $8,000 to I.D. Whittington, S.C. Donnellan & L.A. Chisholm: Identity & phylogeny of flatworm parasites from marine fish using morphology & genetics, with novel approaches to identify pathogenic species.

2003-2006 Fisheries Research & Development Corporation (FRDC): $136,650 to C. Johnston, I. Ernst, I.D. Whittington, B.M. Gillanders, Hutson & C.B. Chambers: Wild kingfish populations in Spencer Gulf: potential for parasite interactions with farmed fish, discrimination of farmed and wild fish and assessment of migratory.

2003-2005 Primary Industries & Resources South Australia (PIRSA): $70,000 to I. Ernst, C.B. Chambers, B.M. Gillanders & I.D. Whittington: Wild kingfish populations in Spencer Gulf: seasonal migration and potential for parasite interactions with farmed fish.

2002-2004 ARC Linkage: $507,972 to I.D. Whittington & I. Ernst: Integrated management of pathogenic monogenean (flatworm) parasite infections in warm water finfish aquaculture.

Publications

Note: only selected publications from 2005 onwards are listed here. For a full list of my research publications, see the downloadable pdf file at the bottom of this page.

Lackenby J.A., Chambers C.B., Ernst I. & Whittington I.D. 2007. Effect of water temperature on reproductive development of Benedenia seriolae (Monogenea: Capsalidae) from Seriola lalandi in Australia. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 74: 235-242.

Hutson K.S., Ernst I., Mooney A.J. & Whittington I.D. 2007. Metazoan parasite assemblages of wild Seriola lalandi (Carangidae) from eastern and southern Australia. Parasitology International 56: 95-105.

Chisholm L.A. & Whittington I.D. 2007. The oncomiracidium of Nasicola klawei (Monogenea: Capsalidae: Capsalinae). Parasitology Research 100: 467-471.

Glennon V., Chisholm L.A. & Whittington I.D. 2006. Three unrelated species, 3 sites, same host - monogenean parasites of the southern fiddler ray, Trygonorrhina fasciata, in South Australia: egg hatching strategies and larval behaviour. Parasitology 133: 55-66.

Glennon V., Chisholm L.A. & Whittington I.D. 2006. Pseudoleptobothrium aptychotremae Young, 1967 (Monogenea: Microbothriidae) redescribed from a new host, the southern fiddler ray, Trygonorrhina fasciata (Rhinobatidae) in South Australia with a description of the larva and post larval development. Acta Parasitologica 51: 40-46.

Chisholm L.A. & Whittington I.D. 2006. Revision of Capsaloides (Monogenea: Capsalidae) with a redescription of C. magnaspinosus Price, 1939 from the nasal tissue of Tetrapterus audax (Istiophoridae) collected off Nelson Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Zootaxa 1160: 1-20.

Mooney A.J., Ernst I. & Whittington I.D. 2006. An egg-laying rhythm in Zeuxapta seriolae (Monogenea: Heteraxinidae), a gill parasite of yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi). Aquaculture 253: 10-16.

Hutson K.S. & Whittington I.D. 2006. Paradeontacylix godfreyi n. sp. (Digenea: Sanguinicolidae) from the heart of wild Seriola lalandi (Perciformes: Carangidae) in southern Australia. Zootaxa 1151: 55-68.

Kearn G.C., Whittington I.D. & Euzet L. 2006. The handling and fate of spermatophores in Neoentobdella diadema and N. apiocolpos (Monogenea: Capsalidae: Entobdellinae). Folia Parasitologica 53: 57-62.

Glennon V., Chisholm L.A. & Whittington I.D. 2005. Branchotenthes octohamatus sp. n. (Monogenea: Hexabothriidae) from the gills of the southern fiddler ray, Trygonorrhina fasciata (Rhinobatidae) in South Australia: description of adult and larva. Folia Parasitologica 52: 223-230.

Whittington I.D. 2005. Monogenea Monopisthocotylea (ectoparasitic flukes). In: Marine Parasitology. Rohde K (Ed.), pp. 63-72. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, Australia.

Chisholm L.A. & Whittington I.D. 2005. Empruthotrema stenophallus n. sp. (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from the nasal tissue of Dasyatis kuhlii (Dasyatidae) from Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia. Journal of Parasitology 91: 522-526.

Whittington I.D. & Kearn G.C. 2005. The precocious oncomiracidium of Neoentobdella parvitesticulata (Monogenea: Capsalidae: Entobdellinae). Parasitology Research 96: 331-334.

Chisholm L.A. & Whittington I.D. 2005. Decacotyle cairae n. sp. (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from the gills of Pastinachus sp. (Elasmobranchii: Dasyatidae) from the South China Sea off Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia. Systematic Parasitology 61: 79-84.

Chisholm L.A., Glennon V. & Whittington I.D. 2005. Dendromonocotyle bradsmithi n. sp. (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from the skin of Myliobatis australis (Elasmobranchii: Myliobatidae) off Adelaide and Perth, Australia: description of adult and larva. Zootaxa 951: 1-15.

Kearn G.C. & Whittington I.D. 2005. Neoentobdella gen. nov. for species of Entobdella Blainville in Lamarck, 1818 (Monogenea, Capsalidae, Entobdellinae) from stingray hosts, with descriptions of two new species. Acta Parasitologica 50: 32-48.

Community Engagement

A role in my split appointment at The South Australian Museum and The University of Adelaide is public outreach and community engagement to inform people about parasites, parasitism and parasitology. I have presented public talks at the Museum (e.g. Parasitology@SAM; Prolific Pesky Parasites), I have delivered talks to school groups, clubs, societies and the CSIRO Double Helix Science Club and I have engaged with recreational fishers and aquaculturists to inform them about parasites of fish. In my position at The South Australian Museum, I field phone calls for information and advice about parasites from the public and from general practitioners. Currently, with colleagues at the Museum, I am developing a travelling exhibition about elements of parasites and parasitology which will tour around schools in South Australia.

Files

• Personnel in the Marine Parasitology Laboratory: January 2004 - Marine_Parasitology_Lab_personnel.jpg [428.1K] (image/jpeg)
• Publications of AProf Ian WHITTINGTON updated 29 August 2008 - Publications_of_Associate_Professor_Ian_Whittington_August_29_2008.pdf [412.7K] (application/pdf)

Expertise for Media Contact

Categories	Science and technology, Beach, reef and marine issues
Expertise	Parasitology; parasites of fishes; fish parasites; flatworm parasites of marine fishes (including those that infect fish in marine aquaria); aquarium fish parasites; aquaculture; marine parisitology
Notes	Published >100 peer-reviewed papers & book chapters in marine parasitology over a 20-year period Won > AUS$3 million in competitive research grants Supervised and graduated 6 PhD and 14 Honours students Currently supervising 5 PhD students Current member of Editorial Boards of the following journals: Systematic Parasitology, Folia Parasitologica and Journal of Natural History

Entry last updated: Sunday, 7 Sep 2008