Parasites of the Silversides Odontesthes smitti and O. nigricans (Pisces: Atherinopsidae) from Argentinean Patagonia

Abstract

Seventeen parasite species (1 microsporidean, 1 cestode, 5 digeneans, 6 nematodes, 2 acanthocephalans, and 2 copepods) were recovered from a total of 356 Odontesthes smitti and 125 Odontesthes nigricans (Atherinopsidae). Fishes were collected from Nuevo and San Jose´ gulfs, Argentinean Sea, from April 2003 to February 2005. The following parasites were found: Microsporidia (xenomas); Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea plerocercoid larvae; Digenea: Prosorhynchoides sp. metacercariae (Bucephalidae), Aponurus laguncula, Lecithaster sp. (Lecithasteridae), Proctotrema sp. (Monorchiidae), Diphterostomum sp. (Zoogonidae); Nematoda: Cucullanus marplatensis (Cucullanidae), Huffmanela moraveci (Trichosomoididae), Cosmocephalus obvelatus L3 (Acuariidae), Anisakis sp. L3, Pseudoterranova sp. L3, Contracaecum sp. L3 (Anisakidae); Acanthocephala: Corynosoma sp. cystacanth larvae (Polymorphidae), Hypoechinorhynchus sp. (Arhythmacanthidae); Crustacea: Bomolochus globiceps (Bomolochidae) and Peniculus sp. (Penelidae). Odontesthes smitti and O. nigricans are new host records for most these parasites.