Parasite fauna of paranthias colonus (valenciennes, 1846) from el sargento, baja california sur, mexico

Paranthias colonus (Valenciennes, 1846) is used as fish bait replacing first class fish that have been overfished in the Gulf of California. Due to its recent commercial importance, the parasite fauna of P. colonus from of El Sargento, Baja California Sur, Mexico is characterized to define its role in the life cycle of its parasites. 30 fishes were fixed in 4% formaldehyde for later examination. Helminths and copepods were treated with conventional techniques specific to each kind of parasite. P. colonus had 100% prevalence and 46.5 mean intensity of parasites. Adults of Pseudorhabdosynochus sp., Prodistomum orientalis, Brachyphallus sp., Lecithochirium sp., Spinitectus sp., Caligus sp., Pandaridae, and Hatschekia sp. and larevae of Tetragonocephalidae, Scolex pleuronectis and Anisakis sp. were found. There was evidence of host specificity of Pseudorhabdosynochus sp. and Hatschekia sp. by serranid fish. P. orientalis is reported for the second time. Hemiuridae are generalists so Paranthias has added to this host range. The presence of the metacestodes S. pleuronectis and Tetragonocephalidae indicates their role in Paranthias as intermediate or paratenic hosts because they are found in adult elasmobranches. Anisakis sp. and Caligus sp. are of wide geographic distribution and host range. Anisakis sp. is the only worm that poses a potential danger to public health because it causes anisakidosis. Members of the family Pandaridae are almost exclusive parasites in elasmobranchians and Paranthias is widely spread in its hosts. This work reports the first world record of hosts and localities of the studied materials. Paranthias colonus (Valenciennes, 1846) es un pez usado como carnada que ha sustituido a los peces de primera clase que se han sobreexplotado en el Golfo de California. Debido a su reciente importancia comercial en este trabajo se caracterizó la parasitofauna de P. colonus en la localidad de El Sargento, Baja California Sur, México, para definir el papel que tiene en el ciclo biológico de sus parásitos. Se adquirieron 30 ejemplares se fijaron en formaldehído al 4% para su posterior revisión. Los helmintos y copépodos se trataron con las técnicas convencionales propias de cada clase de parásito. Se tuvo un 100% de prevalencia y 46,5 de intensidad media de parasitismo general. Pseudorhabdosynochus sp., Prodistomum orientalis, Brachyphallus sp., Lecithochirium sp., Spinitectus sp., Caligus sp., Pandaridae y Hatschekia sp. son adultos y Tetragonocephalida