Larval diversity of plerocercoids (Eucestoda: Tetraphyllidea) in Trichiurus lepturus Linnaeus, 1758 (Perciformes: Trichiuridae) from the coast of Rio De Janeiro State, Brazil

• Autores: Reder de Carvalho, Adriano, de Souza Lima, Sueli, Matos Vieira, Fabiano
• Formato: artículo
• Fecha de Publicación: 2023
• Institución: Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal
• Repositorio: Revistas - Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal
• Lenguaje: español
• OAI Identifier: oai:ojs2.revistas.unfv.edu.pe:article/1587
• Enlace del recurso: https://revistas.unfv.edu.pe/NH/article/view/1587
• Nivel de acceso: acceso abierto
• Materia: ichthyoparasitology; cestode larvae; morphology; neotropical; largehead hairtail; ictioparasitología; larvas de cestodos; morfología; pez espada; ictioparasitologia; larvas de cestóides; morfologia; peixe espada

The life cycle of tetraphyllid cestodes is complex, involving plerocercoid larvae that can utilize teleost fish as a second intermediate host or paratenic host, in which they can exhibit a diversity of plerocercoid larvae. The objective of this study is the morphological characterization of tetraphyllid plerocercoids in Trichiurus lepturus Linnaeus, 1758 from the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In July 2018, 33 specimens of T. lepturus were obtained from professional fishermen, captured near the Cagarras archipelago (23°1'52"S, 43°11'56"W), state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The hosts were weighed, measured, and subjected to necropsies under a stereoscopic microscope for the collection of plerocercoids. The collected specimens were fixed and prepared following traditional helminthological techniques. Morphological and morphometric studies of the parasites were conducted, considering size, body shape, and characteristics of the scolex and botridia. Four morphotypes of plerocercoids were identified: Morphotype I corresponds to the genus Phoreiobothrium Linton, 1889, Morphotype II to Triloculatum Caira& Jensen, 2009, and Morphotype IV to the genus Anthobothrium van Beneden, 1850. Morphotype III belongs to Rhinebothrium Linton, 1889, Caulobothrium Baer, 1849, or Rhabdotobothrium Euzet, 1953. The morphological richness of plerocercoids in T. lepturus indicates the ecological importance of this host for the life cycle of tetraphyllids on the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro. An identification key for the plerocercoid morphotypes of T. lepturus was also proposed.