Ecological and phylogenetic components of flatfish ectoparasites (Pleuronectiformes: Paralichthyidae) from the Southern Gulf of Mexico.

ABSTRACT: For many years, parasite ecologists have debated the relative importance of phylogeny and ecology as drivers of parasite community structure. Here, we address this issue using data on the metazoan ectoparasite communities of different flatfish species. Twenty species of flatfish were collected along the continental shelf of the Southern Gulf of Mexico and examined for ectoparasites. Eight flatfish species were parasitized by at least one ectoparasite species. In total, 326 ectoparasites, representing 11 species (4 monogeneans, 4 copepods, 1 isopod, 1 branchiurid, and 1 leech) were removed from 1622 hosts examined. The highest prevalence (37.5%) occurred in Bomolochus sp1 from Trinectes maculatus, while the lower (0.1%) for Argulus sp., Gnathia sp. and Trachellobdella lubrica from Cyclopset

SUBMITTER: Soler-Jimenez LC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11500868 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature