ABSTRACT
Abstract This study was the first investigation on the parasites of Triportheus rotundatus, a Characiformes fish from the Amazon, in Brazil. All the fish collected (100%) in a tributary from the Amazon River system were infected by one or more parasite species. The mean species richness of parasites was 4.9 ± 0.9, the Brillouin index was 0.39 ± 0.16, the evenness was 0.24 ± 0.09 and the Berger-Parker dominance was 0.81 ± 0.13. A total of 1316 metazoan parasites were collected, including Anacanthorus pithophallus, Anacanthorus furculus, Ancistrohaptor sp. (Dactylogyridae), Genarchella genarchella (Derogenidae), Posthodiplostomum sp. (Diplostomidae), Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) inopinatus (Camallanidae), Echinorhynchus paranensis (Echinorhynchidae) and Ergasilus sp. (Ergasilidae), but monogenoideans were the dominant parasites. These parasites presented an aggregate dispersion pattern, except for P. (S.) inopinatus, which showed a random dispersion pattern. The body conditions of the hosts were not affected by the parasitism levels. This first report of these parasites for T. rotundatus indicates that the presence of ectoparasites and endoparasites was due to hosts behavior and availability of infective stages in the environment, and this was discussed.
Resumo Este estudo foi a primeira investigação sobre os parasitos de Triportheus rotundatus, um Characiformes da Amazônia, no Brasil. Todos os peixes coletados (100%) em um afluente do sistema Rio Amazonas estavam infectados por uma ou mais espécies de parasitos. A riqueza média de espécies de parasitos foi 4,9 ± 0,9, índice de Brillouin 0.39 ± 0,16, equitabilidade 0,24 ± 0,09 e a dominância de Berger-Parker foi 0,81 ± 0,13. Um total de 1.316 parasitos metazoários foram coletados, incluindo Anacanthorus pithophallus, Anacanthorus furculus, Ancistrohaptor sp. (Dactylogyridae), Genarchella genarchella (Derogenidae), Posthodiplostomum sp. (Diplostomidae), Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) inopinatus (Camallanidae), Echinorhynchus paranensis (Echinorhynchidae) e Ergasilus sp. (Ergasilidae), mas monogenoideas foram os parasitos dominantes. Estes parasitos apresentaram padrão de dispersão agregado, com exceção de P. (S.) inopinatus, que mostrou padrão de dispersão randômico. As condições corporais dos hospedeiros não foram afetadas pelos níveis de parasitismo. Este primeiro relato desses parasitos em T. rotundatus indica que a presença de ectoparasitos e endoparasitos foi devido ao comportamento dos hospedeiros e disponibilidade de estágios infectantes no ambiente, e isso foi discutido.
Subject(s)
Animals , Rivers , Characidae/parasitology , Fish Diseases/parasitology , Brazil , Characiformes/parasitologyABSTRACT
This study was the first investigation on the parasites of Triportheus rotundatus, a Characiformes fish from the Amazon, in Brazil. All the fish collected (100%) in a tributary from the Amazon River system were infected by one or more parasite species. The mean species richness of parasites was 4.9 ± 0.9, the Brillouin index was 0.39 ± 0.16, the evenness was 0.24 ± 0.09 and the Berger-Parker dominance was 0.81 ± 0.13. A total of 1316 metazoan parasites were collected, including Anacanthorus pithophallus, Anacanthorus furculus, Ancistrohaptor sp. (Dactylogyridae), Genarchella genarchella (Derogenidae), Posthodiplostomum sp. (Diplostomidae), Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) inopinatus (Camallanidae), Echinorhynchus paranensis (Echinorhynchidae) and Ergasilus sp. (Ergasilidae), but monogenoideans were the dominant parasites. These parasites presented an aggregate dispersion pattern, except for P. (S.) inopinatus, which showed a random dispersion pattern. The body conditions of the hosts were not affected by the parasitism levels. This first report of these parasites for T. rotundatus indicates that the presence of ectoparasites and endoparasites was due to hosts behavior and availability of infective stages in the environment, and this was discussed.
