Molecular identification of Austrodiplostomum sp., an eye parasite among farmed tambaqui in Amazonia

Abstract

Austrodiplostomum Szidat & Nani, 1951 is a genus of parasitic digenetic trematodes widely distributed in the Neotropical region. Infects a wide variety of species, families and requests for freshwater fish. We identify samples of Austrodiplostomum sp, based on metacercariae isolates from eyes of tambaqui ( Colossoma macropomum ), a fish of high commercial importance in Brazil, and widely consumed by the population of the northern region. The sequences obtained clustered with A. compactum . This is the first report of the occurrence of diplostomids in farmed tambaqui in Amazonia.