Host-parasite associations between Prochilodus brevis (Characiformes: Prochilodontidae) and its metazoan parasites in the Brazilian semiarid region.

This study aimed to investigate the parasitic fauna of Prochilodus brevis in two reservoirs in southern state of Ceará, Brazil. Twenty-five individuals were collected from the Lima Campos reservoir, in the municipality of Icó, and 14 from the Ubaldinho reservoir, in the municipality of Cedro. All the analyzed specimens were parasitized by at least one species of metazoan. The parasitic fauna comprised four taxonomic groups: Myxozoa (Henneguya sp. and Myxobolus sp.), Monopisthocotyla (Apedunculata discoidea, Tereancistrum curimba, Tereancistrum pirassununguensis, Tereancistrum takemotoi, Tereancistrum ancistrum, Tereancistrum kritskyi, Tereancistrum scleritelongatum, Tereancistrum spiralocirrum and Gyrodactylidae gen. sp.), Digenea (Austrodiplostomum compactum and Diplostomum lunaschiae), and Acanthocephala (Neoechinorhynchus curemai). In the present study, the parasite community richness of P. brevis, including 14 parasite associations in total, with a maximum of 12 species at each locality, represents an important contribution to the knowledge of fish parasite fauna in the Brazilian semiarid region, which remains poorly studied. These findings not only enhance our understanding of the parasitic biodiversity of fish in the Brazilian semiarid region but also underscore the importance of ongoing studies for the understanding and conservation of aquatic ecosystems.