Communities of Helminth Parasites in Five Carangidae Species from the Coast of Veracruz, Mexico, Southern Gulf of Mexico
In 140 specimens of five carangid species were captured in Playa Las Barrancas and El Cabezo Reef, Veracruz Reef System National Park, Veracruz State, Southern Gulf of Mexico:Caranx crysos (n=51), Caranx hippos (n=18), Chloroscombrus chrysurus (n=28), Oligoplites saurus (n=24) and Trachinotus carolinus (n=19), a total of 44 helminth species were recovered, distributed as follows: 18 digeneans (17 adults, and 1 metacercaria), 12 monogeneans, 9 nematodes (6 adults, and 3 larvae), 4 cestodes (all larvae), and 1 acanthocephalan (juvenile).Parasite of helminths species with the highest prevalence in five communities were Pseudobicotylophora atlantica and Amphipolycotyle chloroscombrus, while species with mean intensity wereHurleytrema catarinensis;and the nematode Hysterothylacium sp., was registered in all five communities. The component community with highest richness and diversity was forC. crysos (S=21, Shannon index H’= 2.19), atinfracommunitylevel highest richness was for T. carolinus (S = 4.5 ± 2.1) and C. hipos (S = 4.1 ± 2.8, while the highest diversity was for C. chrysurus(Brillouin indexH = 1.03 ± 0.32)andC. crysos (Brillouin indexH = 1.01 ± 0.44).The highest Similarity Index of was between the communities ofC. crysosand C. hippos (Jaccard index=60%). Results suggestthat compositions, richness and diversity are similar to other founded marine fishfromtropical and temperate latitudes
