Abstract
This contribution reports the parasites found in the mangrove mussel Mytella guyanensis in Camamu Bay, Bahia, Brazil. Samples were collected monthly from September 2006 through October 2007. A total of 460 individuals were collected, fixed in Davidson's solution, and processed by standard histological techniques, and the sections were stained with Harris hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). The water temperature ranged from 23.5 to 31.6 ºC, and the salinity from 25 to 37. Microscopic analysis showed Rickettsia-like organisms (RLOs), Nematopsis sp. (Apicomplexa), and Platyhelminthes, including a turbellarian, sporocysts of Bucephalus sp., metacercariae, and metacestodes of Tylocephalum sp. Parasites were observed mainly in the gills, mantle, and digestive gland. The prevalence of Nematopsis sp. was 100%, and in heavily infected mussels the tissues of the labial palps were damaged. RLOs occurred in high prevalence and intensity of infection in some periods. The digenean sporocysts showed moderate prevalence but high intensity of infection, and caused parasitic castration. In general, there was no significant spatial or temporal variation (p > 0.05) of the parasites, which is probably attributable to the small variations of temperature and salinity in the region.
Highlights
Knowledge of parasites and pathogens of molluscs allows the management of natural stocks and disease control in commercially cultured species
Microscopic analysis of tissues showed bacteria, protozoa, and metazoans associated with M. guyanensis, in varying levels of prevalence and degrees of infection
The colonies of Rickettsia-like organisms (RLOs) were observed in the epithelium of the digestive gland (Figure 1) and in the gills
Summary
Knowledge of parasites and pathogens of molluscs allows the management of natural stocks and disease control in commercially cultured species. According to information obtained in several studies (Narchi, 1966; Umiji et al, 1976; Nascimento et al, 1986; Azevedo and Matos, 1999; Boehs and Magalhães, 2004; Sabry and Magalhães, 2005; Sabry et al, 2007; Garcia and Magalhães, 2008; Pinto and Boehs, 2008; Da Silva et al, 2009; Boehs et al, 2010), the most common parasites of the molluscs of economic interest from the Brazilian coast are gregarines of the genus Nematopsis, which use bivalves as intermediate hosts and complete their life cycle in crustaceans (Lauckner, 1983); digeneans, which use molluscs as intermediate hosts; and the polychaete. Polydora websteri Hartman, 1943 (Spionidae), which occurs mainly in oysters of the genus Crassostrea
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