ABSTRACT:
The high fish diversity of the Amazon has been the subject of study for several research projects because of the importance of its ecosystems. The Environmental Protection Area of the Curiaú River is composed of permanent and temporary lakes within the floodplain forests, favoring a rich diversity of fish species. Pratinha. (Metynnis lippincottianus) is an ornamental fish, widely distributed throughout Brazil and French Guiana. Fish parasites may reflect the environmental quality, as well as the habits of their host. Considering the importance of understanding and contributing to the expansion of studies on fish parasites, the present study aimed to investigate the gills of Metynnis lippincottianus from the Curiaú River basin in the municipality of Macapá (Eastern Amazon). A total of 200 specimens of Metynnis lippincottianus from the Curiaú River were examined and 89% of the analyzed fish were parasitized by metacercariae, Dactylogyridae gen. sp., Piscinoodinium pillulare, Trichodina sp., Henneguya sp., and Myxobolus sp. Despite this high parasitic load, body conditions were not affected. This is the first documented incidence of a species belonging to the Phylum Cnidaria: Myxozoa in Metynnis lippincottianus.
Key words:
ornamental fish; parasitic fauna; infection
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