Taking into account the difficulties of taxonomic identification of larval anisakid nematodes based on morphological characters, genetic analyses were performed, together with those usually applied, in order to identify anisakid larvae found in the flounder Paralichthys isosceles from the littoral of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The analysis of 1,820 larvae revealed a new species, similar to Hysterothylacium MD, Hysterothylacium 2, Hysterothylacium KB and Hysterothylacium sp regarding the absence of the larval tooth, an excretory pore situated below the nerve ring level, and slender lateral alae. Moreover, the new species differs from Hysterothylacium fortalezae and Hysterothylacium reliquens with regard to the number and size of spines present on the tail end and from Hysterothylacium patagonicus by the absence of interlabia. The maximum parsimony and neighbour joining tree topologies based on the 18S ribosomal DNA gene, complete internal transcribed spacer region and cytochrome oxidase 2 (COII) gene demonstrated that the Brazilian larvae belong to Raphidascarididae and represent a unique genetic entity, confirmed as a new Hysterothylacium species. Furthermore, the new species presents COII genetic signatures and shares polymorphisms with Raphidascarididae members. This is the first description of a new anisakid species from Brazil through the integration of morphological and molecular taxonomy data

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One hundred and twenty-eight specimens of namorado sandperches, 62 P. numida and 66 P. semifasciata, collected between October 2002 and June 2003 off the Cabo Frio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Lat 23° S and Long 42° W), were examined to study their metazoan parasites. Parasite communities of these fish were composed basically of endoparasites, mainly digenean and cestodes species, with low prevalence and abundance but having high parasite species richness values (at the component community level). Among these values, that found for P. numida is the highest so far recorded for marine fishes from the Neotropical Region. Thirty-nine species of metazoan parasites were collected: 36 from P. numida and 28 from P. semifasciata. Twenty-five parasite species were common to both species of namorado sandperches. Pseudopercis numida and P. semifasciata are new host records for all parasite species collected, with the exception of Microcotyle pseudopercis. Choanodera sp., Leurodera decora, Neolebouria georgenascimentoi, and Proctoeces sp. which were recorded for the first time in the South American Atlantic Ocean. Gnathia sp. from P. numida and Scolex pleuronectis from P. semifasciata were the species having the greatest dominance frequency. Parasite abundance in P. numida and P. semifasciata were positively correlated with the host total length. Only in P. numida was parasite species richness correlated positively with the host total length. No significant differences between endoparasite infracommunities of P. numida and P. semifasciata were detected. The ectoparasites of P. numida had higher values for parasite abundance, parasite richness, Brillouin index, evenness index, and Berger-Parker index than those of the ectoparasites of P. semifasciata. Comparisons among all ecto- and endoparasites showed the ectoparasites of P. numida as the most heterogeneous group. Low similarity values were observed among the three types of parasite infracommunities of the two hosts.

Between January and August 2012, thirty specimens of Cynoscion guatucupa (Cuvier, 1830) caught off coast of the municipality of Itajaí, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil (26° 54' 28" S and 48° 39' 43" W) and commercialized in the state of Rio de Janeiro were investigated for the presence of zoonotic nematodes. In total 853 larvae of four nematode parasite species were found. There were three species of Anisakidae: three larvae of Anisakis sp., with prevalence (P) of 10%, mean intensity (MI) of 1.0, mean abundance (MA) of 0.1 and infection site (IS) in the mesentery; five of Terranova sp. with P = 13.3%, MI = 1.25, MA = 0.17, range of infection (RI) from 1 to 2 and IS = mesentery; and seven of Contracaecum sp. with P = 6.6%, MI = 3.5, MA = 0.23, RI = 1 to 4 and IS = mesentery and abdominal cavity. There was one species of Raphidascarididae: 838 larvae of Hysterothylacium deardorffoverstreetorum with P = 83.3%, MI = 33.52, MA = 27.93, RI = 1 to 219 and IS = mesentery, liver serosa and abdominal cavity. This is the first report of larvae of Anisakis sp. and Contracaecum sp in C. guatucupa in Brazil.Keywords: Hysterothylacium deardorffoverstreetorum, Anisakis sp., Terranova sp., Contracaecum sp., Cynoscion guatucupa. ResumoEntre janeiro e agosto de 2012, 30 espécimes de Cynoscion guatucupa (Cuvier, 1830) pescados no litoral do município de Itajaí, estado de Santa Catarina, Brasil (26° 54' 28" S and 48° 39' 43" W) e comercializados no estado do Rio de Janeiro, foram investigados quanto à presença de nematóides zoonóticos. Foram encontradas 853 larvas de quatro espécies de nematóides parasitos. Três espécies pertencem à Anisakidae, sendo três larvas de Anisakis sp., com prevalência (P) de 10%, intensidade média (IM) de 1, abundância média (AM) de 0,1 e sítio de infecção (SI) o mesentério; cinco de Terranova sp., com P = 13,3%, IM = 1,25, AM = 0,17, amplitude de variação da intensidade de infecção (AI) de 1 a 2 e SI = mesentério; e sete de Contracaecum sp., com P = 6,6%, IM = 3,5, AM = 0,23, AI = 1 a 4 e SI = mesentério e cavidade abdominal. Uma espécie pertence à Raphidascarididae, sendo 838 larvas de Hysterothylacium deardorffoverstreetorum com P = 83,3%, IM = 33,52, AM = 27,93, AI = 1 a 219 e SI = mesentério, serosa do fígado e cavidade abdominal. Este é o primeiro registro de larvas de Anisakis sp. e Contracaecum sp. em C. guatucupa no Brasil.

Flounders are commercially and economically important fish. A total of 120 specimens of flounders (60 Paralichthys isosceles, 30 Paralichthys patagonicus and 30 Xystreurys rasile) were collected off the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The fish were measured, necropsied and filleted, and then had their organs investigated for acanthocephalans. Taxonomic identification of the parasites was based on morphological, morphometric and genetic characters. Paralichthys isosceles and P. patagonicus were parasitized by juveniles of Serrasentis sagittifer, Bolbosoma turbinella, Corynosoma australe and C. cetaceum; Xystreurys rasile was parasitized by C. australe. Genetic characterization confirmed the identification of specimens of Bolbosoma turbinella and Corynosoma australe, as demonstrated by phylogenetic analyses using both ITS and cox1 molecular targets. Parasite indices of prevalence, intensity, mean intensity, abundance, mean abundance, and range of infection, as well as infection site, were evaluated for each parasite species. This is the first report of S. sagittifer parasitizing P. isosceles and P. patagonicus, and B. turbinella parasitizing P. patagonicus.

Between February and August, 2012, thirty specimens of Atlantic moonfish, Selene setapinnis, were purchased in local markets in Niterói, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the aim of analyzing the presence of anisakid nematodes, establishing their rates of parasitism and infection sites, due to importance in the sanitary inspection. A total of sixty nematode larvae, belonging to at least two species were found: nine larvae of Terranova sp., Anisakidae, with prevalence (P) of 13.3%, mean intensity (MI) of 2.25, mean abundance (MA) of 0.30 and range of infection intensity (RI) from 1 to 6; and 51 larvae of Hysterothylaciumfortalezae, Raphidascarididae, with P = 26.7%, MI = 6.40, MA = 1.70, and RI = 1-17. The infection sites for Terranova sp. were the mesentery and liver serosa; and for H. fortalezae, the infection sites were the mesentery, abdominal cavity and liver serosa. New morphological data from scanning electron microscopy, on the external structures of H. fortalezae (mainly at the posterior end), are presented. This is the first report of H. fortalezae parasitizing S. setapinnis.

From February 2007 to July 2010, 27 specimens of Paralichthys patagonicus, and from September to December 2010, 30 specimens of Xystreurys rasile were purchased from fish markets in the municipalities of Cabo Frio and Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The fishes were measured, necropsied, filleted, and further had their organs investigated. In P. patagonicus, 19 (70, 3 %) were parasitized with metacestodes of Trypanorhyncha species: Nybelinia erythraea, N. lingualis, Heteronybelinia nipponica, Pterobothrium crassicolle, Grillotia carvajalregorum, and Callitetrahynchus gracilis. In X. rasile, 17 (56, 6 %) were parasitized with metacestodes: N. erythraea, N. lingualis, H. nipponica, and G. carvajalregorum. The parasitological indices of prevalence, intensity, mean intensity, abundance, mean abundance, range of infection, and infection sites of each parasite species are presented. This is the first report of Trypanorhyncha cestodes parasitizing specimens of P. patagonicus and X. rasile. These cestodes were studied due to their importance during fish sanitary inspection, if one considers the harm that the repulsive aspect of infected meat causes to consumers.

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