Parasitos de peixes marinhos de valor comercial no litoral do Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

This study investigated about the parasites of marine fishes which are of commercial value from the coastal waters of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The following fishes were captured, mullet, Mugil curema, lane snapper, Lutjanus synagris, Serra Spanish mackerel,Scomberomorus brasiliensis, Atlantic cutlassfish, Trichiurus lepturus and the Southern red snapper, Lutjanus purpureus during the period March, 2006 to April, 2009. The parasites encountered were collected, observed, identified and counted. M. curema was parasitized by various crustacean ectoparasites: caligidean copepods (Caligus bonito and Caligus sp.), ergasilidean copepods (Ergasilus versicolor and E. lizae) and isopod (Cymothoa spinipalpa).Presence of the endoparasitic acanthocephalan Neoechinorhynchus curemai was also registered in mullet. The occurrence of endoparasitic nematode Philometra sp. was registered for the first time in lane snapper. The endoparasites such as, nematode Contracaecum fortalezae and trematode Didymocystys sp. were observed in Serra Spanish mackerel. The endoparasites such as, nematode Hysterothylacium sp. and digenetic Catarinatrema verrucosum were encountered for the first time in the Atlantic cutlassfish. In the Southern red snapper the following endoparasites were registered, five nematodes (Anisakis simplex,Contracaecum sp., Hysterothylacium sp., Raphydascaris sp., and Procamallanus), one cestode (Callitetrarhynchus gracilis) and two acanthocephalans (Serrasentis sp. and Acanthocephalus sp.). These parasitic diseases are still poorly known and possibly the diagnosis is not being done properly. These results show the need for a comprehensive explanation to the local population and owners of establishments who sell this product regarding the occurrence of parasites, and also to alert the competent authorities for the need to adopt preventive measures.