A new species of Tripartiella (Ciliophora: Trichodinidae) from Aequidens tetramerus (Perciformes: Cichlidae) in north Brazil

Abstract

A new species of Tripartiella is described from the gills of the wild saddle cichlid Aequidens tetramerus in north Brazil. Wet smears of skin and gills of examined fish were air-dried at room temperature and impregnated with Klein's dry silver method for examination of the adhesive disc's structures and denticles. Total prevalence of parasitism was 65%. This ciliate is characterized as a small-sized trichodinid, body diameter 37.03 ± 4.9 μm, adhesive disc 30.50 ± 2.71 μm, denticulate ring 13.28 ± 0.8 μm and 24 ± 2.0 denticles. Taxonomic and morphometric data for the new species are discussed.Keywords: fish, protozoan, parasite, trichodinid, morphology. Uma nova espécie de Tripartiella (Ciliophora: Trichodinidae) emAequidens tetramerus no norte do Brasil ResumoUm nova espécie de Tripartiella encontrada nas brânquias de Aequidens tetramerus da região Norte do Brasil é descrita. Esfregaços de pele e brânquias de peixes examinados foram secos à temperatura ambiente e impregnados pelo método de Klein para observação das estruturas do disco adesivo e dentículos. A prevalência do parasitismo foi de 65%. Este ciliado é caracterizado como pequeno trichodinídeo, com corpo medindo 37,03 ± 4,9 μm de diâmetro, disco adesivo com 30,50 ± 2,71 μm, anel denticulado com 13,28 ± 0,8 μm e 24 ± 2,0 dentículos. Dados taxonômicos e morfométricos para a nova espécie são discutidos.Palavras-chave: peixe, protozoário, parasito, tricodinídeo, morfologia.

Trichodinidae in commercial fish in South America

“…In this region, A. tetramerus was also found to be parasitized by Tripartiella tetramerii (Fig. 2), which was the first trichodinid described in the Amazon region (Martins et al 2016). It was observed that A. tetramerus acquired only this species of trichodinid, among the diversity of parasites found in its cohabitant O. niloticus, possibly because of difficulty in accessing a community of ectoparasites that already existed in native species.…”

“…Organisms of the family Trichodinidae are commonly found in aquatic environments as symbionts. However, they can behave as commensals or parasites of a variety of aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates, such as ciliates, coelenterates planctophagous crustaceans, mollusks, echinoderms, amphibians and fish (Van As and Basson 1987;Basson and Van As 1989;Sabry and Magalhães 2005;Pinto et al 2006;Dias et al 2009;Silva-Briano et al 2011;Martins et al 2016). Trichodinid species are therefore of great importance for fish farming, given that they parasitize farmed fish.…”

Caracterización de tricodínidos como peligros biológicos durante el estadio de alevinaje de Clarias gariepinus cultivadas en Cuba

“…Los miembros de la familia Trichodinidae Claus, 1951 se encuentran fundamentalmente en ambientes acuáticos como simbiontes. Además, se encuentran como comensales o parásitos de una gran variedad de invertebrados y vertebrados acuáticos, como crustáceos, moluscos, equinodermos, anfibios y peces (Basson y Van As, 1989;Sabry y Magalhães, 2005;Pinto et al, 2006;Dias et al, 2009;Silva-Briano et al, 2011;Martins et al, 2016).…”