Biodiversity of Parasitic Copepods in Katsuwonus pelamis From Rio Grande do Norte Coast (NE Brazil)

Claudio Giovanio da Silva

doi:10.19080/ctbeb.2018.12.555829

Abstract

Ictioparasitology is a science that has, among its objectives, assisted in the understanding of the interactions between fish and their parasites. Crustaceans are one of the most popular invertebrate groups exhibit a striking diversity of forms, habits and sizes, are found at all depths in the various marine and freshwater of the earth, and Copepod class are the largest group crustacean parasites in fish, with economic importance, which may result in high mortality. In the present work the biodiversity of the parasitic copepods of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) from the Southwest Atlantic Ocean - Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, is reported. Parasitic ecological indexes (prevalence, mean intensity and mean abundance) were also calculated. Fish were collected in the coastal area of Areia Branca (state of Rio Grande do Norte) from 2015 to 2016. Standard biometrics of the hosts was also taken. Four species were identified infecting branchial chamber and body skin of K. pelamis.: Caligus pelamydis (17.65%), C. bonito (36.27%), C. productus (37.25%) and Pseudocycnus appendiculatus (8.82%).

Highlights

The ictioparasitology is a science that has, among its objectives, assisted in the understanding of the interactions between fish and their parasites
This study aimed to evaluate the parasites copepods biodiversity in the host skipjack tuna (K. pelamis) from the Southwest Atlantic Ocean - Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
This study reports the biodiversity and occurrence of parasites copepods parasitizing skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) of Rio Grande do Norte coast, northeastern Brazil

Summary

Introduction

The ictioparasitology is a science that has, among its objectives, assisted in the understanding of the interactions between fish and their parasites. The parasitism is the most common style of life on earth, as there are numerous representatives of permanent or temporarily zoological groups involved in interspecific relationship [1,2]. With regard to marine environments, Luque [3] considers that the knowledge about the diversity of species of parasites is still incipient front of the large ichthyological diversity. The crustaceans are one of the most popular invertebrate groups exhibit a striking diversity of forms, habits and sizes, are found at all depths in the various marine and freshwater of the earth [7]. The parasitic crustaceans are highly modified organisms and oral swimming appendages have turned into powerful fasteners to the host, with consequent repercussions pathogenic [3]. The main groups comprising fish parasites are Copepods, Branchiura and Isopoda [8]

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