Investigating the diversity of fish parasites in the floodplain of the upper Paraná River: a long-term ecological monitoring

João Otávio Santos Silva,Aparecida De Fátima Cracco Rodrigues,Danilo Nunes Nicola,Ricardo Massato Takemoto,Lidiany Doreto Cavalcanti,Wagner Toshio Hasuike,Atsler Luana Lehun

doi:10.1590/s2179-975x10120

João Otávio Santos Silva, Aparecida De Fátima Cracco Rodrigues + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s2179-975x10120

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Abstract

Abstract: Aim The aim of this study was to present the description of new species of fish parasites in native and non-native hosts and the parasite interaction / host, available in studies for 37 years in the upper Paraná River floodplain. Methods The sampling described in this study is part of a scientometric methodology, in which specific query expressions were used, together with the database available in the Nupelia Sector Library, through Theses and Dissertations. Results A total of 44 species of parasites belonging to different groups were described for 27 species of fish of different orders. In these 37 years of studies, an increase 68% was observed in the number of parasite species, presenting a richness of 201 species in the floodplain, being: Monogenea, Digenea, Nematoda and Cestoda are the groups that present the largest records of species. More than 80 hosts have their parasite fauna registered and most studies are carried out with species of native hosts in the floodplain, being Prochilodus lineatus the host with the highest number of records. Conclusions Parasitological studies are an important scientific tool for understanding the dynamics of ecological interactions in the natural environment, and knowledge of this diversity of organisms is continuous and necessary, and the results of the monitoring carried out in the floodplain during the last 37 years only reinforce this with a constant increase in the description of new species and new records of parasite-host interactions. In times of constant environmental loss and habitat fragmentation, it is of utmost importance to care for and preserve floodplains to maintain biodiversity.

Highlights

Biodiversity describes the totality of diversity at all biotic levels, from genetic variation to ecosystem function (Purvis & Hector, 2000), and species are central to most diversity measures
Aim: The aim of this study was to present the description of new species of fish parasites in native and non-native hosts and the parasite interaction / host, available in studies for 37 years in the upper Paraná River floodplain
During the 37 years of monitoring the ichthyoparasites in the upper Paraná River floodplain, 44 new species were described distributed in five large parasite groups for 27 host species, native and non-native to the floodplain (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Biodiversity describes the totality of diversity at all biotic levels, from genetic variation to ecosystem function (Purvis & Hector, 2000), and species are central to most diversity measures. The complexity of species definitions challenges our ability to determine how many species are present in a site (Agapow et al, 2004; Poulin et al, 2020), and it is important to understand biodiversity to fully appreciate important biological issues such as speciation, ecosystem function, species interaction (competition, symbiosis, predation and parasitism), ecological importance (productivity and food networks), and economic importance to humans (Hausdorf, 2011). To verify all these ecological issues, they need a long period of study to observe frequent events and evaluate their effects. Three conservation units were created in the upper Paraná River floodplain, besides its inclusion as an Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve by MAB/Unesco (Agostinho et al, 2004)

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