Metazoan parasites of Plagioscion squamosissimus, an invasive species in the Tietê River, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Abstract This study focused on the characterization and analysis of communities and infra-communities of metazoan parasites of Plagioscion squamosissimus caught in Promissão Reservoir in the Tietê River in Borborema (21°39′58”S, 49°8′49”W), state of São Paulo, Brazil. Fifty adult specimens caught by professional fishermen in March 2015 were necropsied. The fish presented an average standard length of 25.2 ± 2.2 cm and average weight of 328.82 ± 89.03 g. A total of 5,227 specimens of metazoan parasites were collected: 2,880 (55.1%) adult Diplectanum piscinarius (Monogenoidea: Diplectanidae) and 2,347 (44.9%) Austrodiplostomum compactum metacercariae (Digenea, Diplostomidae), both with 100% prevalence and mean abundance of 57.6 and 46.9, respectively. Parasite diversity was low (species richness = 2), with a Simpson index (D) equal to 0.505, and low values of Brillouin (HB = 0.687) and Margalef diversity (I = 0.117) indices. Berger-Parker’s index of dominance (p = 0.551) indicated a slight dominance of the monogenean parasite D. piscinarius. There was a positive correlation, assessed by Pearson coefficient between parasite abundance of D. piscinarius and standard length (r = 0.43) and weight (r = 0.51) of hosts.

Keywords

• Freshwater fish
• South American silver croaker
• parasite ecology
• Austrodiplostomum compactum
• Diplectanum piscinarius