The metazoan parasites of Stellifer minor (Tschudi, 1844): an ecological approach

A quantitative and qualitative analysis of the parasite fauna of the sciaenid Stellifer minor (Tschudi) from Chorrillos, Peru, was made. Some characteristics of the infectious processes, in terms of intensity and prevalence of infection, as a function of host sex and size, are given. Moreover, comments on the characteristics of the parasite fauna, related with host role in the marine food webs are included. The parasite fauna of Stellifer minor taken of Chorrillos, Peru, include the monogeneans Pedocotyle annakohni, Pedocotyle bravoi, Rhamnocercus sp. and Cynoscionicola sp., the digenean Helicometra fasciata, the adult acantocephalan Rhadinorhynchus sp. and the larval Corynosoma sp., the nematode Procamallanus sp., the copepods Caligus quadratus, Clavellotis dilatata and Bomolochus peruensis and one unidentified isopod of the family Cymothoidae. A distinctive characteristic of the parasite fauna (Metazoa) of S. minor is the almost absence of larval forms.

Kudoa sciaenae (Myxozoa: Multivalvulidae) cysts distribution in the somatic muscles of Stellifer minor (Tschudi, 1844) (Pisces: Sciaenidae)

The distribution of Kudoa sciaenae cysts (Myxozoa), in terms of intensity and prevalence, in the somatic muscles of the sciaenid Stellifer minor, shows an apparent preference for the anterior body region, including the head. The observed preference seems to be a consequence of the differential distribution of muscle mass, in the defined area, because when density (cyst/g dry muscle), is considered, all the somatic areas, but not cephalic area, do no show significant differences in terms of mean intensity and prevalence.

Mudanças temporais na abundância e diversidade da fauna de peixes do infralitoral raso de uma praia, sul do Brasil

Abundance and diversity of the fish fauna in the shallow infralittoral region of Atami Beach, Paraná, Brazil, were studied through monthly collections between July 1998 and June 1999. A total of 7553 fishes from 70 species and 26 families, mainly juvenile forms, was captured in the area. The mean captures in number of species, number of fish and biomass were larger from the end of spring to the middle of autumn; seasonal tendency in richness, diversity (number) and equitability indices were not observed. The largest mean dissimilarity in the composition of the ichthyofauna occurred between June and May in comparison to the period between July and October. The species that contributed most to this dissimilarity were Selene setapinnis (Mitchill, 1815), Conodon nobilis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Stellifer rastrifer (Jordan, 1889). Three great groups reflecting patterns of temporal occurrence of the most abundant species were identified.

Prey consumed by Guiana dolphin Sotalia guianensis (Cetacea, Delphinidae) and franciscana dolphin Pontoporia blainvillei (Cetacea, Pontoporiidae) in an estuarine environment in southern Brazil

The present study provides information about the diet of sympatric populations of small cetaceans in the Babitonga Bay estuary. This is the first study on the diet of these species in direct sympatry. The stomach contents of seven Guiana dolphins Sotalia guianensis and eight franciscanas Pontoporia blainvillei were analyzed. The prey of both cetaceans was mostly teleost fishes, followed by cephalopods. We identified 13 teleost fishes as part of the diet of the franciscanas, and 20 as part of the diet of Guiana dolphins. Lolliguncula brevis was the only cephalopod recorded, and was the most important prey for both cetaceans. Stellifer rastrifer and Gobionellus oceanicus were also important for franciscana, so as Mugil curema and Micropogonias furnieri were important for Guiana dolphins. Stellifer rastrifer and Cetengraulis edentulus were the fishes with the highest frequency of occurrence for franciscana (50%), while Achirus lineatus, C. edentulus, S. brasiliensis, Cynoscion leiarchus, M. furnieri, M. curema, Diapterus rhombeus, Eugerres brasilianus and G. oceanicus showed 28.6% of frequency of occurrence for Guiana dolphins. Franciscanas captured greater cephalopods than the Guiana dolphins in both total length (z= -3.38; n= 40; p< 0.05) and biomass (z = -2.46; n = 40; p<0.05). All of the prey species identified occur inside the estuary, which represents a safe habitat against predators and food availability, reinforcing the importance of the Babitonga Bay for these cetacean populations.

First report of the genera Macvicaria Gibson & Bray, 1982, Pachycreadium Manter, 1954 and Saturnius manter, 1969 (Trematoda: Digenea), in brazilian marine fishes

Macvicaria crassigula (Linton, 1910) (Opecoelidae) is referred from the intestine of Micropogonias furnieri and from Stellifer rastrifer; and from Stellifer rastrifer, and Saturnius maurepasi Overstreet, 1977 (Bunocotylidae) from the stomach of Mugil liza. This is the first report of these species in Brazil, and a new host records are presented.

Metazoan Parasite Infracommunities in Five Sciaenids from the Central Peruvian Coast

Parasitological analysis of 237 Menticirrhus ophicephalus, 124 Paralonchurus peruanus, 249 Sciaena deliciosa, 50 Sciaena fasciata and 308 Stellifer minor from Callao (Perú) yielded 37 species of metazoan parasites (14 Monogenea, 11 Copepoda, 4 Nematoda, 3 Acanthocephala, 1 Digenea, 1 Aspidobothrea, 1 Eucestoda, 1 Isopoda and 1 Hirudinea). Only one species, the copepoda Bomolochus peruensis, was common to all five hosts. The majority of the components of the infracommunities analyzed are ectoparasites. The Brillouin index (H) and evenness (J´) were applied to the fully sampled metazoan parasite infracommunities. High values of prevalence and mean abundance of infection are associated to the polyonchoinean monogeneans; the low values of J' reinforce the strong dominance of this group in the studied communities. The paucity of the endoparasite fauna may be a consequence of the unstable environment due to an upwelling system, aperiodically affected by the El Niño Southern Oscillation phenomena.

Revisão das espécies de Ceroplastinae Atkinson (Hemiptera, Coccoidea, Coccidae) do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

As espécies de Ceroplastinae (Hemiptera, Coccoidea, Coccidae) que ocorrem no Estado de São Paulo são revisadas. São estudadas 36 espécies de Ceroplastinae, das quais 9 são sinonimizadas, 8 espécies novas são descritas e 19 são redescritas. Ceroplastes campinensis Hempel, 1901, C. bicolor Hempel, 1901, C. excaericae Hempel, 1912 e C. farmairii (Signoret, 1866), mencionadas para o Estado de São Paulo, não foram examinadas, devido a não localização do material tipo ou de outros exemplares. Nossos estudos indicaram que C. albolineatus Cockerell, 1894 e C. confluens Cockerell & Tinsley, 1898 foram erroneamente citadas por Hempel, 1900 para o estado de São Paulo. Coccus stellifer Westwood, 1871, atualmente Vinsonia stellifera (Westwood, 1871), é transferida para gênero Ceroplastes como Ceroplastes stellifer (Westwood, 1871) n. comb. C. flosculoides Matile-Ferrero, 1993 é registrada pela primeira vez para o país e C. cassiae (Chavannes, 1848), C. deodorensis Hempel, 1937, C. formosus Hempel, 1900 e C. quadratus Green, 1935 são registradas pela primeira vez no Estado de São Paulo. Ceroplastinae é agora representada por 31 espécies no Estado de São Paulo, todas incluídas no gênero Ceroplastes. Ilustrações e uma chave para espécies são incluídas. Novos sinônimos: C. formicarius Hempel = Ceroplastes communis Hempel, 1900 n. sin.; C. janeirensis Gray, 1828 = Ceroplastes psidii (Chavannes, 1848) n. sin. = C. simplex Hempel, 1900 n. sin.; C. cirripediformis Comstock, 1881 = C. cultus Hempel, 1900 n. sin. = C. cuneatus Hempel, 1900 n. sin. = C. rarus Hempel, 1900 n. sin e C. rotundus Hempel, 1900 n. sin.; C. lucidus Hempel, 1900 = C. novaesi Hempel, 1900 n. sin.; C. grandis Hempel, 1900 = C. rhizophorae Hempel, 1918 n. sin. Novas espécies descritas: C. acutus sp. nov.; C. bragai sp. nov.; C. coronatus sp. nov; C. glomeratus sp. nov; C. jordanensis sp. nov.; C. minimus sp. nov.; C. solanaceus sp. nov.; C. willinkae sp. nov. Espécies redescritas: C. agrestis Hempel, 1932; C. cassiae (Chavannes, 1848); C. cirripediformis; C. deodorensis Hempel, 1900; C. diospyros Hempel, 1928; C. floridensis Comstock, 1881; C. flosculoides Matile-Ferrero, 1993; C. formicarius Hempel, 1900; C. formosus Hempel, 1900; C. grandis Hempel, 1900; C. gregarius Hempel, 1932; C. iheringi Cockerell, 1895; C. janeirensis; C. lucidus; C. purpureus Hempel, 1900; C. quadratus Green, 1935; C. speciosus Hempel, 1900; C. stellifer e C. variegatus Hempel, 1900. São designados lectótipos e paralectótipos para C. agrestis, C. deodorensis, C. diospyros, C. formosus, C. purpureus, C. speciosus e C. variegatus e um neótipo para C. cassiae.