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- What can metazoan parasites reveal about the taxonomy of Scomber japonicus Houttuyn in the coast of South America and Madeira Islands?Publication . Oliva, M. E.; Valdivia, I. M.; Costa, G.; Freitas, N.; Carvalho, M. A. Pinheiro de; Sánchez, L.; Luque, J. L.The metazoan parasites of four populations of the chub mackerel Scomber japonicus were analysed from two localities in the Atlantic Ocean (Madeira Islands, Portugal, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and two localities in the Pacific Ocean (Callao, Peru, and Antofagasta, Chile), collected during 2002 and 2003. A total of 373 fish specimens were studied and 34 metazoan parasite species were obtained. Parasites identified from the populations of chub mackerel studied could be separated into three categories: parasites with a wide distribution, present in the Pacific and Atlantic, parasites proper of the Pacific Ocean and parasites proper of the Atlantic Ocean. The analyses of some highly specific parasites of the genus Scomber (i.e. monogeneans of the genus Kuhnia and didymozoid digeneans) strongly suggest the need for a revision of the taxonomic status of chub mackerels from the Atlantic and Pacific coast of America. The results demonstrated the usefulness of parasites as adequate tools to clarify the taxonomic status of their hosts.
- Digenean parasites of the marine gastropods Littorina littorea and Gibbula umbilicalis in the Northern Portuguese Atlantic coast, with a review of digeneans infecting the two gastropod generaPublication . Costa, Graça; Soares, Sónia; Carvalho, Fernando; Bela, JoãoObjective: To study the digenean parasites of the prosobranch gastropods, Littorina littorea (L. littorea) and Gibbula umbilicalis (G. umbilicalis) from rocky shores of the Northern Atlantic coast of Portugal. Methods: A total of 413 L. littorea and 2603 G. umbilicalis were collected from rocky shores, at Aveiro estuary, Aguda Beach, and Foz Beach at Porto (Northern Atlantic coast of Portugal) from January to July 2014 and February 2014 to January 2015, respectively. Gonads and digestive glands of the gastropods were examined under light microscopy for the presence of digeneans. Infected gonads of L. littorea were prepared for histological observation, whereas digeneans found in G. umbilicalis were studied and identified with the aid of light and scanning electron microscopy. Results: Two species of digeneans were found infecting the digestive gland and gonads of G. umbilicalis, namely, Cainocreadium labracis and Lecithochirium furcolabiatum with a combined prevalence of 3%. Histological observations of gonads of L. littorea revealed the infection with digeneans, with considerable replacement of gonadal tissues. These digeneans were not identified to species level. The prevalence of digeneans in this snail host was 0.7%. Conclusions: The present study adds G. umbilicalis as another first intermediate host for Cainocreadium labracis and extends its geographical range to the Portuguese Atlantic coast. Cercariae of Lecithochirium furcolabiatum were previously reported from G. umbilicalis. A literature review of digeneans occurring in the gastropod genera Gibbula and Littorina is given.
- Gill monogeneans of the chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus from Madeiran waters of the Atlantic Ocean, PortugalPublication . Costa, G.; Freitas, N.; Dellinger, T. H.; MacKenzie, K.Five species of monogeneans were recovered from the gill filaments of 181 chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus, from the Madeiran waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal, during 2004/2005. The monogenean Pseudokuhnia minor showed the highest prevalence (98.68%) and a mean intensity of 28.23, followed by Kuhnia scombri (prevalence of 43.71% and mean intensity of 2.69) and K. scombercolias (prevalence of 39.1% and a mean intensity of 1.81). Kuhnia sprostonae and Grubea cochlear were rare, occurring in only one and five fish hosts respectively. No correlation between fish host length and mean intensity of infection with the three most abundant monogeneans was found. However, significant differences in prevalence and abundance were found in relation to date of sampling for P. minor, and all parasites were aggregated in their distribution.