Helminth parasites of Girardinichthys multiradiatus (Pisces: Goodeidae) in the upper Lerma River sub-basin, Mexico.

Abstract

Thirteen helminth species were recorded during a helminthological examination of 754 Girardinichthys multiradiatus (Meek) (Pisces: Goodeidae) collected from 20 localities in the upper Lerma River sub-basin on the highland plateau of Mexico. The study constitutes a complete and extensive inventory of the helminth parasites of this freshwater fish species across its entire current geographic distribution. The collected species included one adult trematode, three metacercariae, one monogenean, one adult cestode, three metacestodes, three nematode larvae and one cystacanth. The records of the metacercariae of Tylodelphys sp. and Ochetosoma brevicaecum, the larvae of the nematodes Contracaecum sp. and Falcaustra sp. and the cystacanth of Polymorphus brevis are all new records for G. multiradiatus. The metacercariae of Tylodelphys sp. were the most widespread and prevalent species in the sample, being collected from 15 of the 20 sampling localities, with a prevalence of 3.2-72.2%. The data indicate the helminth parasite community of G. multiradiatus to be relatively poor when compared with the helminth communities of freshwater fish from other parts of Mexico. This community is subject to colonization by generalist helminth species, mostly transported by birds. A further component of this community consists of helminth species that have been introduced anthropogenically.