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Didymozoids in Muscle of Atlantic Chub Mackerel (Scomber colias)

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Abstract

Background

Digenean trematodes of the family Didymozoidae are tissue parasites that are particularly common in scombrid fish. These parasites can reduce the commercial value of fish, especially the ones occurring in the muscle.

Purpose

In the present study and for the first time, we report the occurrence of didymozoids in muscle tissue of Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias) collected in northeast Atlantic (Portuguese coast).

Methods

The entire musculature of 64 Scomber colias was removed and examined macroscopically and under a stereomicroscope to search for parasites.

Results

The prevalence (3.1%) and abundance (0.03) of infection detected were quite low, but the parasites cause muscle softening decreasing the quality of the infected fish. If the infection levels increase, this may constitute a cause of concern for the fisheries and canning industry.

Conclusion

Didymozoids identified in this study are closely related to muscle parasites detected in other fish species of the genus Scomber, most probably the same species. Phylogenetic analysis also corroborates the hypothesis that muscle-parasitizing didymozoids are distinct from the ones parasitizing other fish organs.

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Funding

This paper was partially supports by the project INNOVMAR—Innovation and Sustainability in the Management and Exploitation of Marine Resources (reference NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000035), supported by North Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

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Author notes

  1. Rita Mota and Marianne Alves equally contributed to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal

    Rita Mota, Cristina P. Vieira, Jorge Vieira & Paula Tamagnini

  2. IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal

    Rita Mota, Cristina P. Vieira, Jorge Vieira & Paula Tamagnini

  3. Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, Edifício FC4, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal

    Marianne Alves, Paula Tamagnini & Aurélia Saraiva

  4. CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal

    Marianne Alves & Aurélia Saraiva

Authors
  1. Rita Mota
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  2. Marianne Alves
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  3. Cristina P. Vieira
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  4. Jorge Vieira
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Correspondence to Aurélia Saraiva.

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Mota, R., Alves, M., Vieira, C.P. et al. Didymozoids in Muscle of Atlantic Chub Mackerel (Scomber colias). Acta Parasit. 64, 308–315 (2019). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11686-019-00049-5

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