title: A checklist of metazoan parasites of fish from Tres Palos Lagoon, Guerrero, Mexico.
abstract: An extensive survey of helminth parasites in fish species from Tres Palos Lagoon, in Guerrero, Mexico, resulted in identification of 39 metazoan parasite species (37 helminth and 2 crustaceans) in 13 fish species (n = 1,498). Specimen collection in this coastal lagoon was done between April 2000 and November 2003. Digenean species (18, 8 adult and 10 metacercariae) dominated the parasite fauna. The most widespread species of parasite were: Contracaecum sp. (Nematoda), Pseudoacanthostomum panamense, Austrodiplostomum compactum, Ascocotye (Phagicola) longa (Digenea), Neoechinorhynchus golvani (Acanthocephala), Ergasilus sp. (Copepoda), and Argulus sp. (Branchiura). Parasite fauna species composition exhibited a clear freshwater influence as 56.4% (22 of 39) of the identified species have a freshwater distribution in Mexico. For 32 of the parasite species, this report constitutes the first geographical host record for Tres Palos Lagoon, Guerrero, Mexico.
authors.affiliation: Unidad Académica de Ecología Marina, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Gran Vía Tropical No. 20, Fraccionamiento Las Playas, A. P. 39390, Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico. viojuang@yahoo.com.mx
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Violante-González
authors.forename: Ma Leopoldina
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Aguirre-Macedo
authors.forename: Edgar F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Mendoza-Franco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003445:Crustacea / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D005399:Fishes / Q000145:classification / Q000469:parasitology*; D006376:Helminths / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D008800:Mexico