Parasites of native Cichlidae populations and invasive Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) in tributary of Amazonas River (Brazil).

Luana Silva Bittencourt,Marcos Tavares-Dias,Douglas Anadias Pinheiro,Melissa Querido Cárdenas,Berenice Maria Fernandes

doi:10.1590/s1984-29612014006

Abstract

This study provides the first investigation on acquisition of parasites in invasive O. niloticus by parasite species of native Cichlidae from the Igarapé Fortaleza basin, Northern Brazil. There were examined 576 specimens of 16 species of native cichlids and invasive O. niloticus collected in the main channel and the floodplain area of this tributary of Amazon River. The invasive O. niloticus was poorly parasitized having only Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Trichodina centrostrigeata, Paratrichodina africana, Trichodina nobilis (Protozoa) and Cichlidogyrus tilapiae (Monogenoidea), and this host has not acquired any parasite species common to the native ichthyofauna region. In contrast, species of native cichlids showed rich fauna of parasites with predominance of Monogenoidea species, larvae and adults of Nematoda, Digenea, Cestoidea and Acanthocephala, besides four species of Protozoa and four Crustacea. However, only T. nobilis was acquired by native fish, the Aequidens tetramerus, which is a new host for this exotic Trichodinidae. In O. niloticus, well established in the region, the small number of helminth species may be associated with its rusticity, good adaptation in the new environment and also the presence of native parasites with relative specificity, but without ability to complete its life cycle in this invasive host of this ecosystem.

Highlights

Biological invasions are occurring worldwide at alarming rates being widely recognized as threats to the integrity and functioning of natural ecosystems (GALLI et al, 2007; POULIN et al, 2011)
This study provides the first investigation on acquisition of parasites in invasive O. niloticus by parasite species of native Cichlidae from the Igarapé Fortaleza basin, Northern Brazil
In its place of origin, the Nile River delta (Egypt), O. niloticus has been parasitized by the following species of helminthes: C. tilapiae, C. aegypticus, C. cirratus, C. halli, C. thurstonae, C. arthracanthus, S. longicornis, G. cichlidarum and E. cichlidarum, Paracamallanus cyathopharynx Baylis, 1923 (Nematoda), Orientocreadium batrochoides Tubangul, 1931 (Digenea), Polyonchobotriun sp. (Cestoidea), Acanthosentis tilapiae Baylis, 1948 (Acanthocephala), I. multifiliis, T. centrostrigeata, T. rectinucinata and Chilodonella hexastica Kiernik, 1909 (Ciliophora), L. monodi, Ergasilus sarsi Capart, 1944 (Copepoda) and Lernaea cyprinacea Linnaeus, 1758 (Copepoda) (EL-SEIFY et al, 2011; EISSA et al, 2011; SOLIMAN; IBRAHIM, 2012)

Summary

Introduction

Biological invasions are occurring worldwide at alarming rates being widely recognized as threats to the integrity and functioning of natural ecosystems (GALLI et al, 2007; POULIN et al, 2011). In Brazil, despite the introduction of Oreochromis niloticus for culture purposes for over 40 years, some studies on this exotic fish fauna in the natural environment were performed (RANZANIPAIVA et al, 2005), but studies on the transmission of parasites to native ichthyofauna are still scarce (GRAÇA; MACHADO, 2007). The establishment success of an exotic parasite species depends on the acceptable abiotic conditions and complexity of the parasites’ life cycle (GALLI et al, 2005; RIBEIRO; LEUNDA, 2012). The transmission of exotic parasites depends, primarily, on biological factors, host-parasite interaction, congeniality of host species and parasite specificity (JIMÉNEZGARCÍA et al, 2001; GALLI et al, 2005; ROCHE et al, 2010; RIBEIRO; LEUNDA, 2012). The intensity and type of native parasites (ectoparasites and endoparasites) acquired vary among different invasive exotic hosts (PATERSON et al, 2012)

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