New records of hosts for Excorallana longicornis and Nerocila acuminata (Crustacea: Isopoda) in brackish fish from the coast of the State of Amapá (Brazil), with an update on the geographic distribution of Nerocila acuminata.

Abstract

Fish are parasitized by several species of crustaceans, including Cymothoidae and Corallanidae. The aim of this study was to investigate the crustacean parasite fauna in Anableps anableps, Amphiarius rugispinis, Bagre bagre, Cathorops spixii, Cynoscion acoupa, Centropomus undecimalis, Macrodon ancylodon, Mugil curema, Megalops atlanticus, Pseudachenipterus nodosus, Plagioscion squamosissimus, Platystacus cotylephorus, Sciades passany, Sciades herzbergii, and Hypostomus ventrimaculata from the coast of the State of Amapá, eastern Amazon. In addition, an update on the geographic distribution of Nerocila acuminata in Brazilian Amazon is present. A total of 204 fish were examined and prevalence was 16.17%. A total of 185 Excorallana longicornis and Nerocila acuminata were collected and E. longicornis was the most frequent parasite species. The community of parasitic crustaceans in fish species from the coast of the State of Amapá consisted of two species of isopods, E. longicornis and N. acuminata, which are new records for nine host species here studied. Lastly, this is the first record of Nerocila acuminata for Brazil, besides the first report of E. longicornis for M. curema, C. acoupa, H. vetrimaculata, A. anableps, A. rugispinis, C. spixii and S. herzbergii; as well as N. acuminata for A. anableps, P. nodosus, A. rugispinis, C. spixii and M. atlanticus.