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. 2023 Sep;68(3):612-636.
doi: 10.1007/s11686-023-00685-y. Epub 2023 Jul 3.

Endoparasite Communities of Fish at Different Trophic Levels in the Western Brazilian Amazon: Human, Environmental and Seasonal Influence

Lucena Rocha Virgilio  1 , Fabricia da Silva Lima  2 , Erlei Cassiano Keppeler  2 , Ricardo Massato Takemoto  3 , Luís Marcelo Aranha Camargo  4 , Dionatas Ulises de Oliveira Meneguetti  5   6
Affiliations

Endoparasite Communities of Fish at Different Trophic Levels in the Western Brazilian Amazon: Human, Environmental and Seasonal Influence

Lucena Rocha Virgilio et al. Acta Parasitol. 2023 Sep.

Abstract

Purpose: The composition of the fish parasite community depends on several factors related to the environment, the host and its biology. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of environmental factors in anthropized and conserved areas on the endoparasite community structure in fish at different trophic levels, in addition to verifying that some species of Digenea are indicators of conserved environments.

Methods: The study was carried out in the Upper Juruá River region, Western Amazon, Brazil. Six sampling sites were selected in this region and grouped in conserved and degraded environments. Fish were caught from periods of drought and flood, using passive and active sampling methods. Fish collected were measured, weighed, necropsied and the parasites found were counted, fixed, and subjected to morphological analysis. Physical and chemical variables and environmental characteristics were measured in all sites.

Results: The present study demonstrated that environmental variables in a floodplain system can influence the richness, diversity, composition and abundance of endoparasites in hosts at different trophic levels. In addition, anthropized environments may favor the abundance of some generalist parasites and present a more homogeneous biota between seasonal periods compared to conserved environments.

Conclusion: Study contributed with information supporting the importance of conservation of aquatic environments, and demonstrated that fish parasites can be excellent indicators of environments.

Keywords: Abiotic factors; Diversity; Environmental indicators; Floodplain; Species composition.

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