Centesimal composition and meat yield of Hoplias malabaricus: association with intestinal parasites

Abstract

Hoplias malabaricus is a non-migratory fish commonly found in the Mogi Guaçu River basin, mainly feeding on fish, small crustaceans and insects. It forms part of the diet for humans, birds and some mammals. This fish has great nutritional value, with both good quality and good quantities of essential vitamins and amino acids. Regarding parasitic fauna, this fish can host different species of helminths in its gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible interference of parasitism in the meat yield from H. malabaricus and the centesimal composition. For this purpose, fish specimens were collected from marginal lagoons of the Mogi Guaçu River (Pirassununga, state of São Paulo, Brazil) using hooks and fishing nets. We found that all specimens of H. malabaricus were parasitized by at least one species, including larvae of Contracaecum sp. (Nematoda: Anisakidae). Parasitism did not have any significant influence on centesimal composition, but meat yield was negatively correlated with the abundance of larvae.

Mercurio total (Hg-T) en ictiofauna de mayor consumo en San Marcos - Sucre, Colombia

“…Por otro lado, S. cuspicaudus es un pez reofílico que recorre grandes distancias en cardúmenes, realizando anualmente dos migraciones, una reproductiva o subienda, y otra trófica o bajanza (17), dentro de su género es considerada la especie de mayor tamaño, llegando a alcanzar hasta 80 cm de longitud estándar, lo que la hace idónea para el consumo humano (18). Por su parte, H. malabaricus es un pez neotropical que tiene una amplia distribución geográfica, presente en casi todas las cuencas hidrográficas de América del Sur, exceptuando el área transandina de los ríos de la Patagonia (19), esta especie tiene la capacidad de adaptarse a distintos ecosistemas acuáticos, incluyendo los estuarinos, lo que la convierte en un valioso recurso de pesquería (20).…”