Prevalence, geographic and seasonal distribution of protozoan and myxozoan parasites of jau (Zungaro jahu)

Adriano E.A., Ceccarelli P.S., Silva M.R.M. & Maia A.A. M. 2012. [Prevalence, geographic and seasonal distribution of protozoan and myxozoan parasites of jau (Zungaro jahu) in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil.] Prevalencia, distribuicao geografica e sazonal de protozoarios e mixozoarios parasitos de jau (Zungaro jahu) no Pantanal Matogrossense. Pesquisa Veterinaria Brasileira 32(12):1341-1344. Departamento de Ciencias Basicas, Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte 225, Pirassununga, SP 13635-900, Brazil. E-mail: antomaia@usp.br In a study carried out in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil, the prevalence, geographic and seasonal distribution of protozoan and myxozoan parasites of Zungaro jahu was evaluated. The fish were captured in the southern region of Pantanal Mato-grossense (Aquidauana, Miranda and Paraguay rivers) in 2001, 2002 and 2003, in the central region (Pantanal National Park - PARNA Pantanal) in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2008, and in the northern region (Cuiaba and Manso rivers, in the municipality of Nobres) in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Trichodina sp. was identified parasitized skin and gills of jau in the three regions studied. Epistylis sp. parasitized skin and Cryptobia sp. the gills and were restricted to the Central region, whilst Ichthyophthirius multifiliis parasitized skin in the three regions studied. The occurrence of myxozoans was also observed: Myxobolus cordeiroi parasitized several organs and Henneguya sp. parasitized the gills of jau in the three regions studied.

Phylogenetic and host-parasite relationship analysis of Henneguya multiplasmodialis n. sp infecting Pseudoplatystoma spp. in Brazilian Pantanal wetland

A new species of the genus Henneguya (Henneguya multiplasmodialis n. sp.) was found infecting the gills of three of 89 specimens (3.3%) of Pseudoplatystoma corruscans and two of 79 specimens (2.6%) of Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum from rivers in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil. Partial sequencing of the 18S rDNA gene of the spores obtained from one plasmodium from the gills of P. corruscans and other one from the gills of P. reticulatum, respectively, resulted in a total of 1560 and 1147 base pairs. As the spores of H. multiplasmodialis n. sp. resemble those of Henneguya corruscans, which is also a parasite of P. corruscans, sequencing of the 18S rDNA gene of the spores of H. corruscans found on P. corruscans caught in the Brazilian Pantanal wetland was also provided to avoid any taxonomic pendency between these two species, resulting in 1913 base pairs. The sequences of H. multiplasmodialis n. sp. parasite of P. corruscans and P. reticulatum and H. corruscans did not match any of the Myxozoa available in the GenBank. The similarity of H. multiplasmodialis n. sp. obtained from P. corruscans to that from P. reticulatum was of 99.7%. Phylogeny revealed a strong tendency among Henneguya species to form clades based on the order and/or family of the host fish. H. multiplasmodialis n. sp. clustered in a clade with Henneguya eirasi and H. corruscans, which are also parasites of siluriforms of the family Pimelodidae and, together with the clade composed of Henneguya spp. parasites of siluriforms of the family Ictaluridae, formed a monophyletic clade of parasites of siluriform hosts. The histological study revealed that the wall of the plasmodia of H. multiplasmodialis n. sp. were covered with a stratified epithelium rich in club cells and supported by a layer of connective tissue. The interior of the plasmodia had a network of septa that divided the plasmodia into numerous compartments. The septa were composed of connective tissue also covered on both sides with a stratified epithelium rich in club cells. Inflammatory infiltrate was found in the tissue surrounding the plasmodia as well as in the septa. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.