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Complementary description of Ergasilus arthrosis Roberts, 1969 (Copepoda: Poecilostomatoida: Ergasilidae), a new parasite of cichlid teleosts in southeast Mexico

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Abstract

During a parasitological survey of the ichthyofauna of Lake Catemaco, a freshwater system in the Mexican State of Veracruz, the widespread copepod Ergasilus arthrosis Roberts, 1969 was recovered from two cichlid teleosts, Mayaheros urophthalmus (Günther) and Oreochromis sp. This is the first confirmed record of this copepod species outside of the United States and from Mexico; its finding as a parasite of cichlids represents an expansion of the known host range for this copepod. The local prevalence and intensity of infection of E. arthrosis was highest in M. urophthalmus. The infection prevalence of E. arthrosis on M. urophthalmus (60%) was higher than that known for other ergasilids on cichlids. Ergasilus arthrosis can be distinguished from its closest congener E. lizae Krøyer, 1863 by the morphometry of the antennary segments, the ventral ornamentation of the thoracic sclerites and by details of the antennulary setation, but also by its habitat and host preferences. Taxonomic illustrations and morphological details of the specimens examined are also provided together with comments on the variability of this species.

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Acknowledgements

We appreciate the useful comments from Dr. Il-Hoi Kim (Kangnung National University, South Korea) on the copepod morphology and identity and from J. J. Schmitter-Soto on the distribution and systematics of one of its local hosts, Mayaheros urophthalmus. Authors’ thanks are due to Sergio Salazar-Vallejo (El Colegio de la Frontera Sur-Chetumal) who kindly helped us in the transportation of preserved specimens of Ergasilus for taxonomic examination. The constructive comments from the referees and the journal’s editorial team greatly contributed to improve a previous version of this work.

Funding

The Tecnológico Nacional de México of the Secretaría de Educación Pública provided financial support to one of us (IJ-G) through project 5511.15-P: “Evaluation of parasitosis caused by protozoans and metazoans in endemic and introduced fish of Lake Catemaco, Veracruz”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Tecnológico de Boca del Río, Km 12 Carretera Veracruz-Córdoba, 94290, Boca del Río, Veracruz, Mexico

    María Isabel Jiménez-García

  2. El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) Unidad Chetumal, Avenida Centenario Km. 5.5, 77014, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico

    Eduardo Suárez-Morales

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  1. María Isabel Jiménez-García
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  2. Eduardo Suárez-Morales
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Correspondence to Eduardo Suárez-Morales.

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Jiménez-García, M.I., Suárez-Morales, E. Complementary description of Ergasilus arthrosis Roberts, 1969 (Copepoda: Poecilostomatoida: Ergasilidae), a new parasite of cichlid teleosts in southeast Mexico. Syst Parasitol 94, 81–90 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-016-9678-0

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