Helminths of the false herring, Harengula clupeola (Cuvier) (Dorosomatidae) in Puerto Progreso, Yucatán
Keywords:
Parasite, Biodiversity, Mexico, Gulf of Mexico, DNA, TaxonomyAbstract
The false herring, Harengula clupeola Cuvier, is distributed across the subtropical zone of the Western Atlantic coast. The species possesses a low commercial value and is captured mostly as bait. To date, 14 helminth species have been recorded for the false herring, including nine trematodes, three monogeneans, and two nematodes. However, information about the helminth fauna of H. clupeola in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico is null. The aim of the present study was to determine the species composition of the helminth fauna of H. clupeola from Puerto Progreso, Yucatán, sampled throughout a year using molecular and morphological data, and to estimate infection parameters. In total, 1,623 helminth specimens were recovered from H. clupeola representing 14 taxa (two monogeneans, seven trematodes, two cestodes, and three nematodes). Ten helminth taxa are reported for the first time, including five trematodes, Bucephalus margaritae, Saccularina sp., Tergestia sp., Renicolidae gen. sp., and Alloopistholecithum magaliae; the monogenean Pseudanthocotyloides sp.; two nematodes, Contracaecum rudolphii and Pseudoterranova sp.; and the cestodes, Anthobothrium sp. and Callitetrarynchus gracilis. This raises the number to 24 taxa. Pseudobacciger manteri and Cribomazocraes travassosi are sequenced for the first time. The information generated in this study will also be useful for further studies of parasites as bioindicators of ecosystem health and of the role of parasites in marine food webs.
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