Specimens of Colossoma macropomum, an Amazonian characoid, captured at two different sites, one near the towns of Tefé and Coari in the middle Solimões River, state of Amazonas, and the other near the town of Santarém, lower Amazon River, state of Pará, were examined for parasites. Nine parasite species were found. Three belong to the class Monogenoidea: Anacanthorus spathulatus, Linguadactyloides brinkmanni and Notozothecium sp. Immature specimens belonging to class Trematoda, family Paramphistomidae were found. One belongs to the phylum Acanthocephala, Neoechinorhynchus buttnerae. Two belong to the phylum Nematoda, Spirocamallanus sp. and Procamallanus sp. Two belong to the subclass Copepoda, Gamidactylus jaraquensis and Perulernaea gamitanae. The monogenetic Notozothecium sp., the immature specimens of paramphistomids, the larvae of Procamallanus sp. and the copepod Gamidactylus jaraquensis were found on C. macropomum for the first time. The paramphistomids and Procamallanus sp. were found only in hosts from the Tefé/Coari area. There was little variability between the two sites in the parasite fauna of C. macropomum. The results of this study indicate that Anacanthorus spathulatus, Notozothecium sp., Neoechinorhynchus buttnerae and Perulernaea gamitanae may be as potential biological indicators for C. macropomum populations.
Natural populations; parasites of Colossoma macropomum; Monogenea; Copepoda; Nematoda; Acanthocephala; biological indicator
