Metazoan parasites of white mullet Mugil curema Valenciennes, 1836 (Perciformes, Mugilidae) from the wetlands of Pantanos de Villa, Lima, Peru

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the community of metazoan parasites of the white mullet Mugil curema Valenciennes, 1836, in Pantanos de Villa's wetlands Lima, Peru. Twenty-five specimens of M. curema were collected in September and October 2012. The fish presented average weight of 947.7 ± 513 g and average length of 30.2 ± 5.84 cm. Parasites were catalogued and evaluated using standard parasitological protocols. A total of 323 metazoan parasites were collected during the whole sampling, with mean total abundance of 12.92 specimens per fish. All the white mullets were parasitized. It was observed infection with one parasite species in ten fish (40%), two parasites species in 14 fish (56%), and three parasites species in one fish (4%). The three parasites found were metacercariae of Ascocotyle (Phagicola) longa Ransom, 1920 (Trematoda), Ergasilus versicolor Wilson C.B., 1911 / E. lizae Kr0yer, 1863 (Copepoda) and Contracaecum sp. Larvae III (Nematoda). These parasites had an average prevalence of 48%, 100%, 16%, and mean abundance of 4.56, 8.04, and 0.32. Only the total length of M. curema was associated with the average intensity of infection of A. (Phagicola) longa. The metazoan parasites Ascocotyle (Phagicola) longa, E. versicolor and E. lizae are reported for the first time for M. curema from Peru.