Perulernaea gamitanae (Copepoda: Lernaeidae) parasitizing tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) (Characidae) and the hybrids tambacu and tambatinga, cultured in northern Brazil

Abstract

Perulernaea gamitanae (Copepoda: Lernaeidae) parasitizing tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) (Characidae) and the hybrids tambacu and tambatinga, cultured in northern Brazil [Perulernaea gamitanae (Copepoda: Lernaeidae) ABSTRACTThe infestation rate in Colossoma macropomum, hybrid tambacu (C. macropomum x Piaractus mesopotamicus) and hybrid tambatinga (C. macropomum x Piaractus brachypomum) with Perulernaea gamitanae Thatcher and Paredes, 1985 from two fish farms in Amapá State, Brazil was studied. Lernaeid parasites (n=2887) were collected mainly on the tongue and the mouth cavity and also on cartilage of gill arches and filaments. Inflammation and fibrous nodules were observed on the attachment sites of the parasites. The infestation rate varied according to the fish farm and host. The prevalence of P. gamitanae was of 100% in hosts from one fish farm and was lower in the other fish farm. Higher intensity of P. gamitanae occurred in hybrids tambacu and tambatinga, but despite the high prevalence its intensity was moderate. This is the first report on epidemiology of P. gamitanae in cultured fishes from Brazilian Amazonia, and the occurrence of this crustacean parasite in two new hosts, the hybrids tambacu and tambatinga.Keywords: freshwater fish, Amazonia, crustacean, infestation, parasite RESUMO Estudou-se as taxas de infestação pelo crustáceo

Parasitic infections in tambaqui from eight fish farms in Northern Brazil

“…This lerneid seem have parasitic specificity since it infected only C. macropomum and hybrids of C. macropomum x Piaractus mesopotamicus and C. macropomum x Piaractus brachypomum . In addition, P. gamitanae may cause inflammatory process, hyperplasia and gills anemia, which leads to the death of farmed fish, (Delgado et al, 2011;Morais et al, 2011;Tavares-Dias et al, 2011), mainly of fingerlings with high parasitic infection levels.…”

Distribution pattern of crustacean ectoparasites of freshwater fish from Brazil

“…Species of Lernaeidae occur in freshwater fish in Brazilian natural systems and aquaculture environments. They are notorious killers, specifically of small fish, and are the cause of great economic losses to aquaculture (THATCHER, 2006;TAVARES-DIAS et al, 2011). Although aggregation of L. cyprinacea at body sites induces severe local damage with adverse consequences to host function and survival, there are no official reports of fish mortality induced by this parasite in Brazil.…”

“…In Brazil, L. cyprinacea is the most common species of lernaeids, which has spread to fish farms and natural ecosystems because of its lack of parasitic specificity (GABRIELLI & ORSI, 2000;MAGALHÃES, 2006;TAVARES-DIAS et al, 2011). This non-native ectoparasite was introduced into this country together with Hungarian carp and it does not yet occur in fish in the Brazilian Amazon region because of the geographical barrier of the Amazon River.…”

“…Many parasitic crustacean species have preferences for particular sites on hosts in comparison with others (FRYER, 1968;DOUELLOU & ERLWANGER, 1994;CARVALHO et al, 2004;THATCHER, 1998THATCHER, , 2006TAVARES-DIAS et al, 2011SMIT et al, 2014), but this degree of restriction varies among parasite species. Thus, we found that while the lernaeid P. gamitanae infested only the oral cavity and gills of its host characids, L. cyprinacea is a parasite with low specificity that prefers the integument and gills of its hosts.…”

“…These factors may lead to significant economic losses for fisheries and aquiculture (FRYER, 1968;POLY, 2008;TAVARES-DIAS et al, 2014). Consequently, parasitism by crustacean species has been recognized as a significant factor that may affect wild natural fish and farmed fish populations (CARVALHO et al, 2004;THATCHER, 2006;TAVARES-DIAS et al, 2011.…”