Geographic range, distribution patterns and interactions of Monogenea Van Beneden 1858, with species of native host freshwater fishes from Brazil

Abstract

This paper investigated information on monogenean species using 312 scientific papers, to search for infection and geographic distribution patterns in native freshwater fish from Brazil. We used 1,698 samples of 296 fish species of 28 families distributed into Characiformes, Siluriformes, Cichliformes, Gymnotiformes, Perciformes, Mugiliformes, Osteoglossiformes and Clupeiformes, in addition to four hybrid fish. Among the hosts of the different orders and families, the greatest numbers of parasite-host associations were found for species of the families Serrasalmidae, Characidae, Loricariidae, Curimatidae and Anostomidae. The 578 species of monogeneans used in parasite-host interactions were distributed in 86 genera of six five families (Dactylogyridae, Gyrodactylidae, Diplectanidae, Microcotylidae, Ancylodiscoididae and Ancyrocephalidae), but with great predominance of Dactylogyridae species. There was variation in prevalence, intensity and abundance levels of monogeneans species among host fish species, as well as in infection sites that occurred predominantly in external organs. Positive correlations of prevalence, intensity and abundance with body length of hosts were observed. There was geographic distribution pattern of monogeneans limited mostly to two hydrographic basins those being the Amazon River and Paraná River. Just approximately 6% of potential monogeneans have been explored thus far, showing a clear need for further studies on this interesting group of parasites.

Two new species of Curvianchoratus (Monogenoidea, Dactylogyridae) parasitizing Psectrogaster amazonica (Characiformes, Curimatidae) and a new record for Curvianchoratus singularis in the Tocantins River, Maranhão, Brazil

“…Monogenoideans represent one of the main components of the helminth fauna present in freshwater fish in the Neotropics, most of which are dactylogyridean parasites of teleost fish ( Boeger and Vianna 2006 ; Cohen et al 2013 ; Braga et al 2014 ). The great heterogeneity of hydrographic basins present in Brazil reflects a rich and diversified monogenoid fauna in this region ( Tavares-Dias et al 2022 ). Despite taxonomic efforts, the diversity of monogenoid parasites of freshwater fishes from South America remains poorly known ( Justo and Cohen 2019 ).…”