Two Gamispatulus Thatcher & Boger, 1984 (Cyclopoida: Ergasilidae) from Schizodon intermedius Garavello & Britski (Actinopterygii: Anostomidae), with description of a new species

Abstract

A parasitological survey of fishes from two tributaries (Veados and Paranapananema Rivers) of the Jurumirim Reservoir, Upper Paranapanema River, São Paulo State, Brazil, was carried out a during a sampling survey in 2011 and 2012. Several ectoparasitic copepods were found inside the nostrils of the freshwater anostomid fish, Schizodon intermedius Garavello & Britski, 1990. The morphological analysis of the copepod specimens indicated that they represent two species of the ergasilid genus Gamispatulus Thatcher & Boeger, 1984: Gamispatulus schizodontis Thatcher & Boeger, 1984 (type species) and an undescribed species, Gamispatulus ferrilongus n. sp., which are described herein. The present specimens of G. schizodontis agree in several respects with its original description; however, some differences were found regarding the morphology of mouthparts and the ornamentation of legs and antennules. These differences were not sufficient to propose a new species for this genus. However, it could indicate the need for reassessment of the type material to have a more complete representation of this species. Gamispatulus ferrilongus n. sp. shares several similarities with its congener G. schizodontis but the new species can be readily distinguished from its congener in having a unique combination of diagnostic features including: a long rostral spine with tip extending up to half of cephalothorax, simple retrostylets (lacking adjacent spatulate processes), and dorsal surface of genital double-somite with 2 rounded processes (anterior and posterior) on both lateral margins. A host-parasite list for all vaigamid genera and species is included.

Two new species of Colobomatus Hesse, 1873 (Crustacea: Philichthyidae) parasitic in the interorbital canals of Holocentrus spp. (Holocentriformes: Holocentridae) in the South Atlantic Ocean

“…At present, 42 species of cyclopoids have been recorded to parasitize marine fish in Brazil; seven of these (16%) belong to the family Philichthyidae, i.e., six species of Colobomatus, including the two species described herein, and one species of Leposphilus (Luque et al, 2013;Paschoal et al, 2016a). In contrast, 78 species of cyclopoids have been recorded to parasitize freshwater fish in Brazil, where in the last 2 years, five new species and two new genera have been described (Taborda et al, 2016;Narciso et al, 2019;Narciso & Da Silva, 2020). The Brazilian coastline extends for more than 7000 km, encompassing approximately 60% of the Atlantic coast of South America, and harbors one of the richest marine diversities on the planet, with approximately 1,227 species of fish recorded (Angulo et al, 2006;Froese & Pauly, 2021).…”

Two new species of Acusicola Cressey, 1970 (Copepoda:Cyclopoida: Ergasilidae) parasitic on the gills of two estuarine actinopterygians off Brazil

“…Most of these copepods are found infesting the gills of freshwater actinopterygians, but some species may be attached to nostrils, tegument and urinary bladder and, less frequently, parasitizes brackish and marine fish, as well as mollusks (Boxshall & Halsey, 2004 ; Rosim et al, 2013 ; Taborda et al, 2016 ). Ergasilidae is the richest family of parasitic copepods found on fish from Brazil, on which 74 species from 18 genera have been reported (Narciso et al, 2019 ; Narciso & Da Silva, 2020 ; Narciso et al, 2020 ; Narciso et al 2021a , 2021b ; Oliveira et al, 2021 ). However, some authors affirm that such diversity is still underestimated, since only a small fraction of the Brazilian ichthyofauna has been studied for parasitic copepods (Luque et al, 2013 ; Taborda et al, 2016 ; Narciso & Da Silva, 2020 ; Paschoal et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Ergasilidae is the richest family of parasitic copepods found on fish from Brazil, on which 74 species from 18 genera have been reported (Narciso et al, 2019 ; Narciso & Da Silva, 2020 ; Narciso et al, 2020 ; Narciso et al 2021a , 2021b ; Oliveira et al, 2021 ). However, some authors affirm that such diversity is still underestimated, since only a small fraction of the Brazilian ichthyofauna has been studied for parasitic copepods (Luque et al, 2013 ; Taborda et al, 2016 ; Narciso & Da Silva, 2020 ; Paschoal et al, 2022 ).…”