The marine leech Stibarobdella loricata (Harding, 1924) (Hirudinea, Piscicolidae), parasitic on the angel shark Squatina spp. and sandtiger shark Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810 (Chondrichthyes: Squatinidae, Carchariidae) in Southern Brazilian waters.

J M R Soto

doi:10.1590/s1519-69842003000400016

Abstract

The presence of the marine leech, Stibarobdella loricata (Harding, 1924) (Hirudinea, Piscicolidae), is reported on the southern coast of Brazil, based on seven lots with 47 specimens, between 71 and 182 mm in total length, collected on the dorsal region of angel sharks, Squatina argentina (Marini, 1930); S. guggenheim Marini, 1936; S. punctata Marini, 1936 (Chondrichthyes, Squatinidae); and on the head of a sandtiger shark, Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810 (Chondrichthyes, Carchariidae). This is the first record of S. loricata in the western Atlantic and of its parasitic association with S. argentina, S. guggenheim, S. punctata, and C. taurus.

Highlights

Previous works on marine leeches in Brazilian waters are scarce and based on compilations (Pinto, 1923; Ringuelet, 1944) and single records (Soto, 2000), including hirudineans of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay
Between January 1991 and June 2001, several specimens of marine leeches were collected which had adhered to the dorsal region of coastal sharks on the Rio Grande
Squatina argentina do Sul coast, and which were stored in the Invertebrate section of the Museu Oceanográfico do Vale do Itajaí (MOVI)

Summary

Introduction

Previous works on marine leeches in Brazilian waters are scarce and based on compilations (Pinto, 1923; Ringuelet, 1944) and single records (Soto, 2000), including hirudineans of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. A sanguessuga marinha Stibarodella loricata (Harding, 1924) (Hirudinea, Piscicolidae), parasita do cação-anjo Squatina spp. e do tubarão-mangona Cacharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810 (Chondrichthyes: Squatinidae, Carchariidae) em águas do sul do Brasil É assinalada a presença da sanguessuga marinha Stibarobdella loricata (Harding, 1924) (Hirudinea, Piscicolidae) na costa sul do Brasil, com base em sete lotes contendo 47 espécimes, entre 71 e 182 mm de comprimento total, coletados na região dorsal de cações-anjo, Squatina argentina (Marini, 1930), S. guggenheim Marini, 1936, Squatina punctata Marini, 1936 (Chondrichthyes, Squatinidae) e sobre a cabeça de um tubarão-mangona, Carcharias taurus (Rafinesque, 1810) (Chondrichthyes, Carchariidae).

Results

Conclusion