Structure and composition of microbial communities in the water column from Southern Gulf of Mexico and detection of putative hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms.

This study assessed the bacterioplankton community and its relationship with environmental variables, including total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration, in the Yucatan shelf area of the Southern Gulf of Mexico. Beta diversity analyses based on 16S rRNA sequences indicated variations in the bacterioplankton community structure among sampling sites. PERMANOVA indicated that these variations could be mainly related to changes in depth (5 to 180 m), dissolved oxygen concentration (2.06 to 5.93 mg L-1), and chlorophyll-a concentration (0.184 to 7.65 mg m3). Moreover, SIMPER and one-way ANOVA analyses showed that the shifts in the relative abundances of Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus were related to changes in microbial community composition and chlorophyll-a values. Despite the low TPH content measured in the studied sites (0.01 to 0.86 µL L-1), putative hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria such as Alteromonas, Acinetobacter, Balneola, Erythrobacter, Oleibacter, Roseibacillus, and the MWH-UniP1 aquatic group were detected. The relatively high copy number of the alkB gene detected in the water column by qPCR and the enrichment of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria obtained during lab crude oil tests exhibited the potential of bacterioplankton communities from the Yucatan shelf to respond to potential hydrocarbon impacts in this important area of the Gulf Mexico.

Characterization of microbiota and histology of cultured sea cucumber Isostichopus badionotus juveniles during an outbreak of skin ulceration syndrome.

Due to the dramatic reduction of sea cucumber Isostichopus badionotus populations in the Yucatan Peninsula by overfishing and poaching, aquaculture has been encouraged as an alternative to commercial catching and restoring wild populations. However, the scarcity of broodstock, the emergence of a new disease in the auricularia larvae stage, and the development of skin ulceration syndrome (SUS) in the culture have limited aquaculture development. This study presents the changes in the intestine and skin microbiota observed in early and advanced stages of SUS disease in cultured juvenile I. badionotus obtained during an outbreak in experimental culture through 16S rRNA gene sequencing and histological evidence. Our results showed inflammation in the intestines of juveniles at both stages of SUS. However, more severe tissue damage and the presence of bacterial clusters were detected only in the advanced stages of SUS. Differences in the composition and structure of the intestinal and skin bacterial community from early and advanced stages of SUS were detected, with more evident changes in the intestinal microbial communities. These findings suggest that SUS was not induced by a single pathogenic bacterium. Nevertheless, a decrease in the abundance of Vibrio and an increase in Halarcobacter (syn. Arcobacter) was observed, suggesting that these two bacterial groups could be keystone genera involved in SUS disease.

Changes in the Rhizosphere Prokaryotic Community Structure of Halodule wrightii Monospecific Stands Associated to Submarine Groundwater Discharges in a Karstic Costal Area.

Belowground seagrass associated microbial communities regulate biogeochemical dynamics in the surrounding sediments and influence seagrass physiology and health. However, little is known about the impact of environmental stressors upon interactions between seagrasses and their prokaryotic community in coastal ecosystems. Submerged groundwater discharges (SGD) at Dzilam de Bravo, Yucatán, Mexico, causes lower temperatures and salinities with higher nutrient loads in seawater, resulting in Halodule wrightii monospecific stands. In this study, the rhizospheric archaeal and bacterial communities were characterized by 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing along with physicochemical determinations of water, porewater and sediment in a 400 m northwise transect from SGD occurring at 300 m away from coastline. Core bacterial community included Deltaproteobacteria, Bacteroidia and Planctomycetia, possibly involved in sulfur metabolism and organic matter degradation while highly versatile Bathyarchaeia was the most abundantly represented class within the archaeal core community. Beta diversity analyses revealed two significantly different clusters as result of the environmental conditions caused by SGD. Sites near to SGD presented sediments with higher redox potentials and sand contents as well as lower organic matter contents and porewater ammonium concentrations compared with the furthest sites. Functional profiling suggested that denitrification, aerobic chemoheterotrophy and environmental adaptation processes could be better represented in these sites, while sulfur metabolism and genetic information processing related profiles could be related to SGD uninfluenced sites. This study showed that the rhizospheric prokaryotic community structure of H. wrightii and their predicted functions are shaped by environmental stressors associated with the SGD. Moreover, insights into the archaeal community composition in seagrasses rhizosphere are presented.

Linking phenotypic to genotypic metacestodes from Octopus maya of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Octopus maya is an endemic species of the Yucatan Peninsula. This species sustains the octopus' fishery in the region and is the only cephalopod cultured in Mexico. It is known that O. maya harbor a large richness and abundance of metacestodes that have been tentatively identified by light microscopy alone. Since the larval stages of some orders of marine cestodes lack the taxonomic characteristics shown by the adult stages and on which cestode taxonomy is based, identification down to the species level is often unattainable. Hence, the goal of this study was to characterize the parasites, for the first time, at morphological and molecular levels. A total of 60 octopuses were collected from September to December 2017 from four fishery landing ports in Yucatán: Sisal, Progreso, Dzilam de Bravo, and Rio Lagartos (15 hosts per locality). Morphology of metacestodes was characterized by light and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), while the genes 18S and 28S rDNA were sequenced for molecular characterization. Based on phenotypic characters and molecular data, seven taxa of metacestodes were identified, four of them belonging of order Trypanorhyncha: Eutetrarhynchus sp., Kotorella pronosoma, Nybelinia sp., Prochristianella sp. 1; and the three remaining taxa belonging to the order Onchoproteocephalidea: Acanthobothrium sp., Phoreiobothrium sp., and Prosobothrium sp. This work provides, for the first time, molecular support to the morphological characterization of metacestodes recorded in Octopus maya.

Effects of a Light Crude Oil Spill on a Tropical Coastal Phytoplankton Community.

Oiling scenarios following spills vary in concentration and usually can affect large coastal areas. Consequently, this research evaluated different crude oil concentrations (10, 40, and 80 mg L-1) on the nearshore phytoplanktonic community in the southern Gulf of Mexico. This experiment was carried out for ten days using eight units of 2500 L each; factors monitored included shifts in phytoplankton composition, physicochemical parameters and the culturable bacterial abundance of heterotrophic and hydrocarbonoclastic groups. The temperature, salinity, and nutrient concentrations measured were within the ranges previously reported for Yucatan Peninsula waters. The total hydrocarbon concentration (TPH) in the control at T0 indicated the presence of hydrocarbons (PAHs 0.80 µg L-1, aliphatics 7.83 µg L-1 and UCM 184.09 µg L-1). At T0, the phytoplankton community showed a similar assemblage structure and composition in all treatments. At T10, the community composition remained heterogeneous in the control, in agreement with previous reports for the area. However, for oiled treatments, Bacillariophyceae dominated at T10. Hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria were associated with oiled treatments throughout the experiment, while heterotrophic bacteria were associated with control conditions. Our results agreed with previous works at the taxonomic level showing the presence of Bacillariophyceae and Dinophyceae in oil-related treatments, where these groups showed the major interactions in co-occurrence networks. In contrast, Chlorophyceae showed the key node in the co-occurrence network for the control. This study aims to contribute to knowledge on phytoplankton community shifts during a crude oil spill in subtropical oligotrophic regions.

Histological Effects of Light Crude Oil on Sciaenops ocellatus Under Experimental Conditions.

The health status of Sciaenops ocellatus was studied by qualitative and quantitative histopathological analysis through histological damage prevalence and degree of tissue change (DTC) in response to 96 h and 9 days of exposure to 0.1, 0.8, and 8 g/L of light crude oil in seawater. The histology of the liver, spleen, kidney, and gills of the fish were analyzed and compared between treatments. Our results showed that the exposed fish developed lesions associated with degenerative and necrotic changes. The highest frequency of damage and DTC scores were observed in the liver and kidney from 96 h to 9-days post-exposure. Generalized additive models of location, scale, and shape, showed that the DTC was strongly associated with crude oil compounds such as napthalene, Cd, Ni, Pb, and bile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites. Our findings suggest that exposure to crude oil affects fish health, producing irreversible histological damage.

Assessing the Effect of Chemical Dispersant Nokomis 3-F4 on the Degradation of a Heavy Crude Oil in Water by a Marine Microbial Consortium.

Degradation efficiency of a heavy crude oil by a marine microbial consortium was evaluated in this study, with and without the addition of a chemical dispersant (Nokomis 3-F4). 15.50% of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) were removed after 15 days of incubation without dispersant, with a degradation rate of 2.39 ± 0.22 mg L-1 day-1. In contrast, the addition of Nokomis 3-F4 increased TPH degradation up to 30.81% with a degradation rate of 5.07 ± 0.37 mg L-1 day-1. 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated a dominance of the consortium by Achromobacter and Alcanivorax. Nonetheless, significant increases in the relative abundance of Martelella and Ochrobactrum were observed with the addition of Nokomis 3-F4. These results will contribute to further environmental studies of the Gulf of Mexico, where Nokomis 3-F4 can be used as chemical dispersant.

Functional Groups of Metazoan Parasites of the Dusky Flounder (Syacium papillosum) as Bioindicators of Environmental Health of the Yucatan Shelf.

We aimed to compare the percentage of explained variance given by the relationship of species and functional groups of metazoan parasites of the dusky flounder Syacium papillosum and environmental variables from water and sediments in the Yucatan shelf (YS). Parasite data were obtained from 127 S. papillosum specimens collected from 17 of 67 stations. At each station, 46 environmental variables were measured, including hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and physicochemical variables from water and sediments. Fifteen functional groups were defined based on biological characteristics of 48 parasite species. Our multivariate statistical analyses showed that species and functional groups produced similar explained variance values (47.3% and 50% respectively). However, using functional groups the time and financial resources were minimal compared with those used for morphological and molecular identification to produce the species composition matrix. Thus, functional groups are the best choice from the point of view of saving time and money.

Acute Exposure to Crude Oil Induces Epigenetic, Transcriptional and Metabolic Changes in Juvenile Sciaenops ocellatus.

In this study, we report molecular and metabolic responses of Sciaenops ocellatus during an acute oil exposure bioassay (100, 800 and 8000 mg 1-1 of crude oil). The global DNA methylation and expression profiles of key genes of the xenobiotic biotransformation system (cytochrome P450 1A [cyp1a] and glutathione S-tranferase [gst]), oxidative stress system (glutathione peroxidase [gpx], catalase [cat], aldehyde dehydrogenase [aldh]) and reproductive system (vitellogenin [vtg]) were evaluated. At the metabolic level, we evaluated the concentration of four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites -hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene, hydroxypyrene, hydroxynaphthalene and hydroxyphenanthrene- in fish bile. The results of this study revealed that fish exposed to crude oil exhibited hypomethylation of DNA, up-regulation of cyp1a and gst and down-regulation of gpx, cat, aldh and vtg and high concentrations of PAH metabolites with respect to the control.

Optimization of the Biodegradation of Aliphatic, Aromatic, and UCM Hydrocarbons from Light Crude Oil in Marine Sediment Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM).

This study describes the optimization of the biodegradation of total aliphatic (tAHCs), total aromatic (tPAHs), and unresolved complex mixture (UCM) hydrocarbons from light crude oil in marine sediment. The response surface methodology (RSM), with a Box-Behnken design, was used to optimize the hydrocarbon fraction degradation, reported as degradation efficiency (E (%)), using four independent variables (inoculum, dispersant, light oil concentration, and carbon/nitrogen ratio), all at three levels. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed R2 values of 0.976, 0.974, and 0.975 for tAHCs, tPAHs, and UCM, respectively. All fractions exhibited a statistically significant effect (P < 0.05) in the second-order quadratic regression model for degradation. According to the models, the optimal degradation prediction was: 81.03% for tAHCs, 85.96% for tPAHs, and 92.86% for UCM. This work highlights the possibility of carrying out efficient biodegradation, of more than 80%, through an optimization process using different light oil concentrations, opening up possibilities of multiple response optimization.

Metazoan Parasite Infracommunities of the Tomtate Grunt (Haemulon aurolineatum) as Potential Bioindicators of Environmental Conditions in the Yucatan Continental Shelf, Mexico.

Metazoan parasites and their hosts experience the environmental influence of the seasonal presence of Western and Eastern subzones with different oceanographic conditions on the Yucatan continental shelf (YS). In addition, natural seeps and oil transport in the area lead to the presence of hydrocarbons. We hypothesized that the parasite infrapopulations and infracommunities of Haemulon aurolineatum will respond to environmental variability related with ongoing oceanographic subzone conditions of the YS. Spatial and multivariate statistical analyses were used to test this hypothesis. For 17 sampling sites along the YS, 55 parasite morphospecies were recovered from 146 fishes. There were significant differences in the number of parasite species between Western and Eastern subzones, but not in the number of parasite individuals. Spatial autocorrelation on environmental variables as a consequence of the Yucatan current was found. Overall, the parasite metrics suggested a region with a good ecosystem health condition naturally influenced by oceanographic processes.

The performance of taxonomic and trait-based approaches in the assessment of dusky flounder parasite communities as indicators of chemical pollution.

We assessed the performance of taxonomic and several functional trait-based approaches in the assessment of spatial and temporal patterns of dusky flounder (Syacium papillosum) parasite assemblages along the Yucatan shelf to determine their potential as bioindicators of marine chemical pollution. Fish specimens were collected throughout three research cruises that took place in 2015, 2016 and 2018. In addition to the traditional taxonomic approach, four trait-based approaches were performed including community-weighted means (CWM), functional trait niche (FTN), functional groups (FGs), and Rao's functional diversity (FD). Significant spatial and temporal variations in parasite communities were detected using the taxonomic approach. In general, these variations were also reflected in the four trait-based approaches performed, indicating that changes in taxa composition and abundance also resulted in functional composition shifts. Resemblance matrices of both taxonomic and functional trait approaches were significantly correlated. Variations in taxonomic and trait-based composition using the four approaches were significantly correlated with depth, and at least one chemical pollutant variable. Feeding mode, transmission, life stage and attachment structure displayed spatial variability and significant correlations with predictor variables, which indicates that this set of attributes functions as a good surrogate for assessing variations in the functional composition of flatfish parasite communities in relation to pollution. FTN and CWM were the approaches that best detected spatio-temporal variation. CWM and FD were best suited for detecting pollution gradients. These results reveal the feasibility of using trait-based approaches to assess marine parasite communities as bioindicators of chemical pollution. Functional traits of marine metazoan parasites are as good indicators of the effect of oil pollution as taxonomic diversity. This may be a time-saving and cost-effective approach to performing environmental assessments.

Phylogeny, genetics, and the partial life cycle of Oncomegas wageneri in the Gulf of Mexico.

Despite the diversity and ecological importance of cestodes, there is a paucity of studies on their life stages (i.e., complete lists of intermediate, paratenic, and definitive hosts) and genetic variation. For example, in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) 98 species of cestodes have been reported to date; however, data on their intraspecific genetic variation and population genetic studies are lacking. The trypanorhynch cestode, Oncomegas wageneri, is found (among other places) off the American Western Atlantic Coast, including the GoM, and has been reported as an adult from stingrays and from several teleost species in its larval form (as plerocerci). This study represents the first report of 2 previously unregistered definitive hosts for O. wageneri, namely the Atlantic sharpnose shark Rhizoprionodon terraenovae and the southern stingray Hypanus americanus. In this work, partial sequences of the 28S (region D1-D2) ribosomal DNA were analyzed to include O. wageneri within an eutetrarhynchoid phylogenetic framework. All O. wageneri individuals (which included plerocerci and adults) were recovered as monophyletic and Oncomegas celatus was identified as the sister species of O. wageneri. Furthermore, population genetic analyses of O. wageneri from the southern GoM were carried out using DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene, which reflected high genetic variation and a lack of genetic structure among the 9 oceanographic sampling sites. Based on these results, O. wageneri is panmictic in the southern GoM. More extensive sampling along the species entire distribution is necessary to make more accurate inferences of population genetics of O. wageneri.

New morphological and molecular data for Xystretrum solidum (Gorgoderidae, Gorgoderinae) from Sphoeroides testudineus (Tetraodontiformes, Tetraodontidae) in Mexican waters.

Adults of trematodes in the genus Xystretrum Linton, 1910 (Gorgoderidae, Gorgoderinae) are parasites found exclusively in the urinary bladders of tetraodontiform fishes. However, limited and unclear morphological data were used to describe the type species, X. solidum Linton, 1910. Here, we present the first detailed morphological information for a member of Xystretrum. Morphological characters were described using light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of Xystretrum specimens from Sphoeroides testudineus (Linnaeus) (Tetraodontiformes, Tetraodontidae), collected at six localities off the northern Yucatan Peninsula coast of the Gulf of Mexico. We also compared sequence fragments of the 28S (region D1-D3) ribosomal DNA and mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene with those available for other gorgoderine taxa. We assigned these Xystretrum specimens to X. solidum, despite the incompleteness of published descriptions. The data provide a foundation for future work to validate the identities of X. solidum, X. papillosum Linton, 1910 and X. pulchrum (Travassos, 1920) with new collections from the type localities and hosts. Comparisons of 28S and COI regions described here also provide an opportunity to evaluate the monophyletic status of Xystretrum.

Parasitic nematodes of marine fishes from Palmyra Atoll, East Indo-Pacific, including a new species of Spinitectus (Nematoda, Cystidicolidae).

Here, we present the results of a taxonomic survey of the nematodes parasitizing fishes from the lagoon flats of Palmyra Atoll, Eastern Indo-Pacific. We performed quantitative parasitological surveys of 653 individual fish from each of the 44 species using the intertidal sand flats that border the atoll's lagoon. We provide morphological descriptions, prevalence, and mean intensities of the recovered seven species of adult nematode (Pulchrascaris chiloscyllii, Capillariidae gen. sp., Cucullanus bourdini, Cucullanus oceaniensis, Pseudascarophis sp., Spinitectus (Paraspinitectus) palmyraensissp. nov., Philometra pellucida) and three larval stages (Pulchrascaris sp., Hysterothylacium sp., Cucullanus sp.). We recorded: Pulchrascaris chiloscyllii from Carcharhinus melanopterus; Capillariidae gen. sp. from Chaetodon lunula, Lutjanus fulvus, and Ellochelon vaigiensis; Cucullanus bourdini from Arothron hispidus; Cucullanus oceaniensis from Abudefduf sordidus; Pseudascarophis sp. from Chaetodon auriga, Chaetodon lunula, and Mulloidichthys flavolineatus; Spinitectus (Paraspinitectus) palmyraensissp. nov. from Albula glossodonta; Philometra pellucida from Arothron hispidus; and three larval forms, Pulchrascaris sp. from Acanthurus triostegus, Acanthurus xanthopterus, Rhinecanthus aculeatus, Platybelone argalus, Carangoides ferdau, Carangoides orthogrammus, Caranx ignobilis, Caranx melampygus, Caranx papuensis, Chaetodon auriga, Chanos chanos, Amblygobius phalaena, Asterropteryx semipunctata, Valencienea sexguttata, Kyphosus cinerascens, Lutjanus fulvus, Lutjanus monostigma, Ellochelon vaigiensis, Mulloidichthys flavolineatus, Upeneus taeniopterus, Gymnothorax pictus, Abudefduf septemfasciatus, Abudefduf sordidus, and Stegastes nigricans; Hysterothylacium sp. type MD from Acanthurus triostegus, Carangoides ferdau, Chaetodon lunula, Chanos chanos, Kyphosus cinerascens, Abudefduf sordidus, and Arothron hispidus; and Cucullanus sp. from Caranx ignobilis. Spinitectus (Paraspinitectus) palmyraensissp. nov. (Cystidicolidae) is described from the intestine of roundjaw bonefish Albula glossodonta. All the nematode species reported in this study represent new geographical records. We discuss how our survey findings compare to other areas of the Indo-Pacific, and the way the relatively numerical dominance of trophically transmitted larval stages likely reflect the intact food web of Palmyra Atoll, which includes a large biomass of large-bodied top predator sharks and ray-finned fishes.

Changes in the Bacterioplankton Community Structure from Southern Gulf of Mexico During a Simulated Crude Oil Spill at Mesocosm Scale.

The southern Gulf of Mexico (sGoM) is highly susceptible to receiving environmental impacts due to the recent increase in oil-related activities. In this study, we assessed the changes in the bacterioplankton community structure caused by a simulated oil spill at mesocosms scale. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis indicated that the initial bacterial community was mainly represented by Gamma-proteobacteria, Alpha-proteobacteria, Flavobacteriia, and Cyanobacteria. The hydrocarbon degradation activity, measured as the number of culturable hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria (CHB) and by the copy number of the alkB gene, was relatively low at the beginning of the experiment. However, after four days, the hydrocarbonoclastic activity reached its maximum values and was accompanied by increases in the relative abundance of the well-known hydrocarbonoclastic Alteromonas. At the end of the experiment, the diversity was restored to similar values as those observed in the initial time, although the community structure and composition were clearly different, where Marivita, Pseudohongiella, and Oleibacter were detected to have differential abundances on days eight-14. These changes were related with total nitrogen (p value = 0.030 and r2 = 0.22) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (p value = 0.048 and r2 = 0.25), according to PERMANOVA. The results of this study contribute to the understanding of the potential response of the bacterioplankton from sGoM to crude oil spills.

Octopus maya parasites off the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. I. Faunal assemblages.

The red octopus Octopus maya Voss et Solís-Ramírez, 1966 is an endemic species found exclusively off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico; its fishery is one of the most important along the Atlantic coast of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. To date, the parasite fauna of Octopus spp. in southern Mexico remains unknown. In this study, we present the parasite fauna of O. maya from 8 localities along the Yucatán Peninsula. From August 2009 to June 2010, a total of 1202 specimens of O. maya were caught by artisanal fisheries and examined. Twenty parasite taxa were recorded from all octopus examined: 7 cestodes, 8 digeneans, 3 nematodes, 1 copepod and 1 coccidian. All taxa are new records for this host species, and the sampled locations represent new records of the geographic distribution of these parasite taxa. The gills and the intestine were the micro-habitats in which the highest number of taxa were found. More than half of the parasites (13 taxa) that we found infected O. maya via its feeding habits, although a high number of taxa (n = 9) colonized via active transmission. Cestoda and Digenea were the taxonomic groups with the highest number of taxa. Prochristianella sp. showed the highest prevalence and mean abundance values in the localities where it was present. This work represents the first study on the parasite fauna of any cephalopod species in Mexico.

A molecular phylogenetic appraisal of the acanthostomines Acanthostomum and Timoniella and their position within Cryptogonimidae (Trematoda: Opisthorchioidea).

The phylogenetic position of three taxa from two trematode genera, belonging to the subfamily Acanthostominae (Opisthorchioidea: Cryptogonimidae), were analysed using partial 28S ribosomal DNA (Domains 1-2) and internal transcribed spacers (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2). Bayesian inference and Maximum likelihood analyses of combined 28S rDNA and ITS1 + 5.8S + ITS2 sequences indicated the monophyly of the genus Acanthostomum (A. cf. americanum and A. burminis) and paraphyly of the Acanthostominae. These phylogenetic relationships were consistent in analyses of 28S alone and concatenated 28S + ITS1 + 5.8S + ITS2 sequences analyses. Based on molecular phylogenetic analyses, the subfamily Acanthostominae is therefore a paraphyletic taxon, in contrast with previous classifications based on morphological data. Phylogenetic patterns of host specificity inferred from adult stages of other cryptogonimid taxa are also well supported. However, analyses using additional genera and species are necessary to support the phylogenetic inferences from this study. Our molecular phylogenetic reconstruction linked two larval stages of A. cf. americanum cercariae and metacercariae. Here, we present the evolutionary and ecological implications of parasitic infections in freshwater and brackish environments.

Two new species of dicyemid mesozoans (Dicyemida: Dicyemidae) from Octopus maya Voss & Solis-Ramirez (Octopodidae) off Yucatan, Mexico.

Two new dicyemid species are described from the endemic cephalopod Octopus maya Voss & Solis-Ramirez collected off Yucatan, Mexico. The renal sacs of 40 juvenile and adult octopuses from four localities were examined. Dicyema hochbergi n. sp. is a medium-sized species that reaches 2,245 µm in length. The vermiform stages consist of 18-24 peripheral cells, a conical calotte and the extension of the axial cell between the base and middle of the metapolar cells. Infusoriform embryos consist of 39 cells with urn cell containing one germinal cell, two nuclei and solid refringent bodies. Dicyema mexcayae n. sp. is a relatively small species that reaches 1,114 µm in length. The vermiform stages are constituted by 14-16 peripheral cells, an elongate calotte and the axial cell extending forward to the middle of the metapolar cells. The infusoriform embryos consist of 37 cells, two solid refringent bodies and urn cells with two nuclei each. The present study represents the first description of a dicyemid species from O. maya and increases the number of described species from Mexican waters to 11.

Trematode diversity in freshwater fishes of the Globe II: 'New World'.

We provide a summary overview of the diversity of trematode parasites in freshwater fishes of the 'New World', i.e. the Americas, with emphasis on adult forms. The trematode fauna of three regions, South America, Middle America, and USA and Canada (North America north of Mexico), are considered separately. In total, 462 trematode species have been reported as adults from the Americas. The proportion of host species examined for parasites varies widely across the Americas, from a high of 45% in the Mexican region of Middle America to less than 5% in South America. North and South America share no adult species, and one exclusively freshwater genus, Creptotrema Travassos, Artigas & Pereira, 1928 in the Allocreadiidae Looss, 1902 is the most widely distributed. Metacercariae of strigeiforms maturing in fish-eating birds (e.g. species of the Diplostomidae Poirier, 1886) are common and widely distributed. The review also highlights the paucity of known life-cycles. The foreseeable future of diversity studies belongs to integrative approaches and the application of molecular ecological methods. While opportunistic sampling will remain important in describing and cataloguing the trematode fauna, a better understanding of trematode diversity and biology will also depend on strategic sampling throughout the Americas.