Abstract
The occurrence of the dracunculoid nematode Philometra chilensis Moravec, Chávez et Oliva, 2011 (Philometridae) infecting the ovary of the red cusk-eel, Genypterus chilensis (Guichenot), off the Pacific coast of northern Chile is reported. A sample of 266 fish specimens (total body length 34–96 cm) revealed the nematode overall prevalence (April 2007) of this parasite to be 18.5% and the mean intensity of infection 17.9 (SD = 30.8). All infected fish were mature females. The present results suggest that infection by the nematode shows seasonality and coincides with specific reproductive stages of the red cusk-eel, a partial spawner, and as a result the infection can affect the reproductive success of the host.
[1] Bush A.O., Lafferty K.D., Lotz J.M., Shostak A.W. 1997. Parasitology meets ecology on its own terms: Margolis et al. revisited. Journal of Parasitology, 83, 575–583. DOI: 10.2307/32 84227. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3284227Search in Google Scholar
[2] Chong J., Gonzáles P. 2009. Ciclo reproductivo y talla media de madurez del congrio colorado, Genypterus chilensis (Guichenot, 1881) en el litoral de Talcahuano, Chile. Revista de Biología Marina y Oceanografía, 44, 257–262. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-1957200900010002710.4067/S0718-19572009000100027Search in Google Scholar
[3] Moravec F., Chávez R.A., Oliva M.E. 2011. A new gonad-infecting species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) from the red cusk-eel Genypterus chilensis (Osteichthyes: Ophidiidae) off Chile. Parasitology Research, 108, 227–232. DOI: 10.1007/s00436-010-2054-0. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00436-010-2054-010.1007/s00436-010-2054-0Search in Google Scholar PubMed
[4] Moravec F., Justine J.L. 2009. New data on dracunculoid nematodes from fishes off New Caledonia, including four new species of Philometra (Philometridae) and Ichthyofilaria (Guyanemidae). Folia Parasitologica, 56, 129–142. Search in Google Scholar
[5] Moravec F., Magi M., Macchioni F. 2008. Redescription of the gonad-infecting nematode Philometra saltatrix Ramachandran, 1973 (Philometridae) based on specimens from the type host Pomatomus saltatrix (L.) (Osteichthyes) from the Tuscan Sea, Italy. Folia Parasitologica, 55, 219–223. 10.14411/fp.2008.029Search in Google Scholar PubMed
[6] Moravec F., Prista N., Costa M.J. 2007. Meagre Argyrosomus regius (Osteichthyes) as host of a gonad-infecting species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) off the Atlantic coast of Portugal. Disease of Aquatic Organisms, 78, 83–86. DOI: 10.3354/dao01860. http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/dao0186010.3354/dao01860Search in Google Scholar PubMed
[7] Moravec F., Salgado-Maldonado G. 2007. A new species of Philometra (Nematoda, Philometridae) from the gonads of the rock hind Epinephelus adscensionis (Osteichthyes) from the southern Gulf of Mexico. Acta Parasitologica, 52, 376–381. DOI: 10.2478/s11686-007-0044-x. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/s11686-007-0044-x10.2478/s11686-007-0044-xSearch in Google Scholar
[8] Oliva M.E., Castro R.E., Burgos R. 1996. Parasites of the flatfish Paralichthys adspersus (Steindachner, 1867) (Pleuronectiformes) from Northern Chile. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 91, 301–306. DOI: 10.1590/S0074-02761996000300009. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0074-0276199600030000910.1590/S0074-02761996000300009Search in Google Scholar
[9] Oliva M.E., Bórquez A.S., Olivares A.N. 1992. Sexual status of Paralabrax humeralis (Serranidae) and infection by Philometra sp. (Nematoda: Dracunculoidea). Journal Fish Biology, 40, 979–980. DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1992.tb02645.x. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1992.tb02645.x10.1111/j.1095-8649.1992.tb02645.xSearch in Google Scholar
[10] Perez G.R., Roumillat W.A., Levesque E.M., Connors V.A., de Buron I. 2009. Synchronization of occurrence of the ovarian philometrid, Philometra carolinensis, with the spawning season of its fish host, the spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus. Parasitology Research, 104, 1079–1085. DOI: 10.1007/s00436-008-1291-y. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00436-008-1291-y10.1007/s00436-008-1291-ySearch in Google Scholar PubMed
© 2011 W. Stefański Institute of Parasitology, PAS
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.
