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Ecology and seasonal variation of parasites in wild Aequidens tetramerus, a Cichlidae from the Amazon

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Abstract

This study is the first investigation on seasonal dynamics of parasites component community of the Aequidens tetramerus from an Amazon River tributary, in Northern Brazil. A total of 239,2407 parasites were recovered from 92 hosts examined from February to October 2011. Such parasites included Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Tripartiella tetramerii and Trichodina nobilis (Protozoa), Dolops longicauda (Argulidae), Gussevia alioides, Gussevia disparoides (Monogenoidea), Digenea metacercarie, Pseudoproleptus larvae, Anisakidae larvae (Nematoda), Proteocephalidea plerocercoid (Eucestoda) and Gorytocephalus spectabilis (Acanthocephala). Ciliates were the most dominant and abundant taxon, while cestodes were the least prevalent. The parasites showed seasonal variation in their infection dynamics associated with environmental changes during the Amazonian drainage season, except the infection with I. multifiliis. The parasites community in A. tetramerus was also characterized by higher diversity, species richness and uniformity during the drainage season when compared to Amazon flood season. With the exception of T. tetramerii, these parasite species are new records for A. tetramerus.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Embrapa Amapá, Aquaculture and Fishery Laboratory, 68903-419, Macapá, Amapá State, Brazil

    Marcos Tavares-Dias

  2. University of Amapá State (UEAP), 68906-970, Macapá, Amapá State, Brazil

    Marcos Sidney Brito Oliveira & Raissa Alves Gonçalves

  3. Institute of Scientific and Technologic Researches from Amapá State (IEPA), 68901-025, Macapá, Amapá State, Brazil

    Luis Maurício Abdon Silva

Authors
  1. Marcos Tavares-Dias
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  2. Marcos Sidney Brito Oliveira
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  3. Raissa Alves Gonçalves
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  4. Luis Maurício Abdon Silva
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Correspondence to Marcos Tavares-Dias.

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Tavares-Dias, M., Oliveira, M.S.B., Gonçalves, R.A. et al. Ecology and seasonal variation of parasites in wild Aequidens tetramerus, a Cichlidae from the Amazon. Acta Parasit. 59, 158–164 (2014). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11686-014-0225-3

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