Parasite fauna of wild and cultured dusky-grouper Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) from Ubatuba, southeastern Brazil.
This study aimed at identifying and quantifying the parasites of wild and cultured dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus. During a year and thereby all four seasons, 20 wild and 20 cultured groupers were examined for the presence of parasites, except in the last season, in which 19 wild and 20 cultured fish were examined, totalling 159 groupers analysed from Ubatuba, southeastern Brazil. Prevalence, mean intensity of infection, mean abundance and mean relative dominance were calculated. Five species of parasites were identified in fish from both origins: Pseudorhabdosynochus beverleyburtonae (Monogenea), Neobenedenia melleni (Monogenea), Pseudempleurosoma sp. (Monogenea), Helicometrina nimia (Digenea) and larvae of Contracaecum sp. (Nematoda). The prevalence of ectoparasites, in most cases, was higher than endoparasites. The most abundant parasite was the monogenea Pseudorhabdosynochus beverleyburtonae in both wild and cultured fish, along all seasons. Neobenedenia melleni was observed in wild and cultured fish in all seasons, with a gradual increase in the number of parasites from the coldest to the hottest seasons, with the highest prevalence and mean intensity in the summer. Helicometrina nimia was found in all seasons in both wild and cultured fish, except for summer, where its presence was detected only in wild fish. Pseudempleurosoma sp. and larvae of Contracaecum sp. showed low prevalence occurring in wild and cultured fish in the autumn and spring, respectively. This study revealed high intensities of potentially pathogenic parasites that could favour disease outbreaks in culture conditions.
AQUOS - Laboratory of Aquatic Organisms Health, Aquaculture Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
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K
Roumbedakis
AQUOS - Laboratory of Aquatic Organisms Health, Aquaculture Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
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NC
Marchiori
AQUOS - Laboratory of Aquatic Organisms Health, Aquaculture Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
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Á
Paseto
AQUOS - Laboratory of Aquatic Organisms Health, Aquaculture Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
E L T
EL
Gonçalves
Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Curso de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
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JL
Luque
Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Curso de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
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PB
Cepeda
Núcleo de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento do Litoral Norte, Instituto de Pesca/APTA/SAA, Ubatuba, SP, Brazil.
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EG
Sanches
AQUOS - Laboratory of Aquatic Organisms Health, Aquaculture Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
M L
ML
Martins
D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons