Dr. George-Nascimento-Failla, Mario

2017, Dr. George-Nascimento-Failla, Mario, Muñoz, Gabriela, Bray, Rodney

Two new digenean species are described from the intertidal blenny Scartichthys viridis (Valenciennes) (Blenniidae) collected off the coasts of Chile. The digenean Monorchimacradena viridis n. sp. (Lecithasteridae: Macradenininae) differs from the only known species described in the genus, M. acanthuri Nahhas and Cable 1964, in the presence of Drüsenmagen in the caeca, the location of the seminal vesicle between the testis and ovary (anterior to the testis in M. viridis n. sp.), and the pre-ovarian vitellarium. Megasolena littoralis n. sp. (Haploporidae), which is also reported from Scartichthys gigas (Steindachner), differs from the five valid species of Megasolena in that the post-caecal region (from the posterior edge of the caeca to the end of the body) is larger in M. viridis n. sp., meaning that the caeca are shortest in this species. Also, M. littoralis n. sp. is distinguished, from the other congeneric species, in a combination of characteristics, e.g., body length, suckers, pharynx, testes, hermaphroditic sac and sucker-length ratio. Sequences of ITS2 rDNA were generated for specimens of both species from various localities, indicating that it was invariant within the species. This study describes species of Monorchimacradena and Megasolena in Chilean waters, here reported for the first time off the Pacific Coast of South America.

2015, Dr. George-Nascimento-Failla, Mario, Muñoz, Gabriela, Landaeta, Mauricio, Palacios-Fuentes, Pamela

Eumetazoan parasites in fish larvae normally exhibit large body sizes relative to their hosts. This observation raises a question about the potential effects that parasites might have on small fish. We indirectly evaluated this question using energetic metabolic laws based on body volume and the parasite densities. We compared the biovolume as well as the numeric and volumetric densities of parasites over the host body volume of larval and juvenile-adult fish and the average of these parasitological descriptors for castrator parasites and the parasites found in the fish studied here. We collected 5266 fish larvae using nearshore zooplankton sampling and 1556 juveniles and adult fish from intertidal rocky pools in central Chile. We considered only the parasitized hosts: 482 fish larvae and 629 juvenile-adult fish. We obtained 31 fish species; 14 species were in both plankton and intertidal zones. Fish larvae exhibited a significantly smaller biovolume but larger numeric and volumetric densities of parasites than juvenile-adult fish. Therefore, fish larvae showed a large proportion of parasite biovolume per unit of body host (cm3). However, the general scaling of parasitological descriptors and host body volume were similar between larvae and juvenile-adult fish. The ratio between the biovolume of parasites and the host body volume in fish larvae was similar to the proportion observed in castrator parasites. Furthermore, the ratios were different from those of juvenile-adult fish, which suggests that the presence of parasites implies a high energetic cost for fish larvae that would diminish the fitness of these small hosts.

2018, Muñoz, Gabriela, Vildoso, Francisco, George-Nascimento-Failla, Mario

Notothen fishes (Nototheniidae) have been recorded on the coasts of South America, from 35°S to southern. Little is known about the biology of intertidal notothen fishes or their relationships with other species, including parasites. Here, we analyzed the parasitic fauna of a species of Notothenia collected from the rocky intertidal of Lebu, south-central Chile (36°S) and compared the parasite community of this host with other 9 fish species commonly found in rocky intertidal pools. Among the tested species, Notothenia sp. had the highest parasite richness (21 parasitic taxa vs. 1 to 9 parasitic taxa). The composition of parasite species was different among fishes, with similarity indices between 0 and 33%. The parasite composition of Notothenia sp. was most similar to Calliclinus geniguttatus (27%). The most abundant and prevalent parasites found in Notothenia sp. were the copepod Caligus cf. cheilodactyli, Tetraphyllidea larvae, anisakid nematodes, and several acanthocephalan species, which are typical of other fish from the subtidal and bento-demersal zones. Therefore, we conclude that the juveniles of Notothenia sp. were a few months old and had their parasites when reaching the intertidal zone, acquired some generalist parasites during their stay in this habitat, such as Holobomolochus chilensis and Lecithaster macrocotyle. Most notothen fishes are from Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic waters, therefore, it is possible that this fish came from another habitat but also from the austral region of South America. Notothenia sp. could not be specifically identified because of different results between morphological and genetic analyses.

2016, Dr. George-Nascimento-Failla, Mario, Díaz, Pablo, Muñoz, Gabriela

A new species, Hemipera cribbi sp. nov., is described. This trematode was found in three intertidal fish species: Scartichthys viridis (Valenciennes) (Blenniidae), Gobiesox marmoratus Jenyns (Gobiesocidae) and Myxodes viridis Valenciennes (Clinidae) from the central and southern coast of Chile. Of 233 individuals of S. viridis from the central coast examined, 19 were infected. From the southern coast, nine individuals of S. viridis (one infected), five individuals of G. marmoratus (four infected), and 16 individuals of M. viridis (one fish infected) were examined. Hemipera cribbi sp. nov. is distinguished from the five other congeneric species mainly in the body size, being the smallest and narrowest species in the genus, reaching five times longer than wide. This is the first species of the genus described for the South Pacific Ocean off South America. ITS2 rDNA sequences of Hemipera cribbi sp. nov. from each host and locality were identified.

2018, Oliva, Marcelo E., Valdivia, Isabel M., Cárdenas, Leyla, Muñoz, Gabriela, Escribano, Ruben, George-Nascimento-Failla, Mario

The most studied digenean of marine organisms in Chile is by far Proctoeces humboldti, a parasite of the intestine of the clingfish Sicyases sanguineus and gonad of the keyhole limpet Fissurella spp. (progenetic metacercariae). The mussel Perumytilus purpuratus has been suggested as the first intermediate host for this digenean. In a study examining the parasites of S. sanguineus from central Chile, we found specimens of Proctoeces showing significant morphological differences with P. humboldti. To assist in the resolution of the taxonomic identification of these specimens, as well sporocysts obtained from the mussel P. purpuratus from central and northern Chile, phylogenetic studies using DNA sequences from the SSU rRNA, as well the LSU rRNA and Cox 1 gene were performed. Results showed that the clingfish S. sanguineus is a host for two species of Proctoeces (P. humboldti and P. syciases n. sp.) along the northern and central Chilean coast, without geographic separation; the mussel P. purpuratus is the first intermediate host for P. syciases n. sp. but not for P. humboldti in central and northern Chile. Fissurellids (Archaeogastropoda) along the Chilean coast harbor only progenetic stages of P. humboldti, but there is no evidence of progenesis for P. syciases. The reinstatement of Proctoeces humboldti is strongly suggested.

2015, Leiva, Natalia, George-Nascimento-Failla, Mario, Muñoz, Gabriela

Los crustáceos tienen un rol importante en el ciclo de vida de los parásitos, ya que actúan como hospedadores intermediarios. No obstante, en Chile y a nivel mundial existen pocos estudios parasitológicos sobre crustáceos que habitan el intermareal rocoso. En este estudio se registró y comparó la carga parasitaria de crustáceos decápodos, y se relacionó con la abundancia de sus hospedadores definitivos (peces y aves). Entre julio y septiembre de 2013 se recolectaron 409 crustáceos, correspondientes a 16 especies, desde el intermareal rocoso de dos localidades de Chile central (33°S), Las Cruces y Montemar. El 65,5% de la muestra estaba parasitada, recolectándose 2.410 metacercarias y 18 nemátodos. Algunas metacercarias correspondían a la familia Opecoelidae, mientras que otras a Microphallidae; los nematodos eran de la familia Cystidicolidae. La mayor prevalencia y abundancia de Microphallidae se registró en Petrolisthes tuberculosus (42,3%; 4,8 ± 11,08 parásitos/crustáceo) y de Opecoelidae en P. violaceus (96,9%; 13,59 ± 17,50 parásitos/crustáceo), mientras que Cystidicolidae fue poco prevalente y abundante en ambas localidades. Las infecciones parasíticas fueron afectadas por la localidad de muestreo, especie y tamaño del hospedador. No se encontró asociación entre la abundancia de los hospedadores definitivos y las cargas parasitarias que presentaban los crustáceos. La nula relación entre las cargas parasitarias y la abundancia de hospedadores definitivos puede ocurrir si estos últimos tienen un amplio espectro trófico o viajan largas distancias, de este modo, la transmisión de los parásitos no sería afectada directamente por la abundancia de los hospedadores definitivos.