Verónica Flores

Metazoan Parasites of Galaxias maculatus (Osmeriformes: Galaxiidae) from Argentinean Patagonia

Abstract A checklist, based on bibliographical records and original data from an extensive survey, is presented for the metazoan parasites of Galaxias maculatus (Jenyns, 1842) in Argentinean Patagonia. The checklist includes 33 metazoan parasite entries: 5 myxozoans, 12 digeneans, 2 monogeneans, 3 cestodes, 2 acanthocephalans, 7 nematodes, 1 copepod, and 1 bivalve. Gyrodactylus sp., Pomphorhynchus patagonicus Ortubay, Úbeda, Semenas and Kennedy, 1991, and Hysterothylacium patagonense Moravec, Urawa and Coria, 1997 are reported for the first time from G. maculatus in South America. Although this checklist enlarges the knowledge of G. maculatus parasites, a large portion of Patagonia remains unexplored, and many of its lakes and rivers have never been surveyed for parasites, especially in the southern part of the region.

INFECTION PATTERNS OF TYLODELPHYS BARILOCHENSIS AND T. CRUBENSIS (TREMATODA: DIPLOSTOMATIDAE) METACERCARIAE IN GALAXIAS MACULATUS (OSMERIFORMES: GALAXIIDAE) FROM TWO PATAGONIAN LAKES AND OBSERVATIONS ON THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION IN THE SOUTHERN ANDEAN REGION, ARGENTINA

In the Patagonian Andean region, 2 species of diplostomatids parasitize the brains of Galaxias maculatus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate seasonal variation, spatial variation, and association with host age in the transmission of Tylodelphys barilochensis and T. crubensis in several oligotrophic lakes in Argentinian Patagonia. Fishes were captured monthly in Lake Gutiérrez and bimonthly in Lake Escondido. One summer or autumn sample was also taken in several other Patagonian lakes. Infection parameters were calculated and compared using nonparametric tests. The 2 species co-occurred in most of the sampled lakes, with high values of prevalence and mean intensity. In Lake Gutiérrez and Lake Escondido, the intensity of both diplostomatid species did not show significant differences between sexes and co-varied with host length. All age classes were infected; maximum prevalence values were reached before maximum mean intensity values in the 1-yr age class. A seasonal pattern of prevalence and mean intensity of the 2 parasite species with autumn mean intensity values differing significantly from those of the other seasons was evident only in Lake Gutiérrez.

Larval Digenean Community Parasitizing the Freshwater Snail, Biomphalaria peregrina (Pulmonata: Planorbidae), From a Temporary Pond in Patagonia, Argentina

Abstract Knowledge of population dynamics of parasites in freshwater snails from South America is scarce. The objective of the present study was to describe the infection dynamics of larval digeneans in the planorbid snail, Biomphalaria peregrina, during 2 sampling periods in a Patagonian temporary pond. In total, 1,003 snails were examined. Rediae of Notocotylus biomphalariae and Echinoparyphium sp., sporocysts of Cotylurus sp., and metacercariae of the 2 latter species were found. The overall prevalence was significantly higher in the second sampling period, always as single-species infections in the hepatopancreas. The presence of larvae in the first sampled snails of the second hydroperiod indicated that parasitized snails survive drought. Both species exhibited different seasonal prevalence patterns, with Echinoparyphium sp. present in all sampling months. Metacercariae of Echinoparyphium sp. occurred in the heart and kidney, and those of Cotylurus sp. between organs. No significant differences in overall prevalence of metacercariae were found, and a progressive rise in prevalence from spring to summer for both species was observed. Almost all size classes of B. peregrina were infected with metacercariae of both species, but rediae and sporocysts were present only in snails larger than 3.1 mm. The predictability of the hydroperiod year after year, the tolerance of B. peregrina to drought, and the survival of infected specimens allows the parasite community to show a similar pattern of infection over time. This is the first study in Argentina analyzing the infection dynamics of digeneans of a pulmonate snail from a temporary pond.

Infection of Myxobolus galaxii (Myxozoa) in Galaxias maculatus (Osmeriformes: Galaxiidae) From Northwestern Patagonian Andean Lakes (Argentina)

The infection of Myxobolus galaxii Szidat, 1953, from the musculature and abdominal organs of northwestern Patagonian Galaxias maculatus is described. Plasmodia are histozoic and intercellular. Spores are pyriform in valvar view and biconvex in sutural view, with 4–9 edge notches in the sutural line, varying in shape within the same plasmodium. Myxobolus galaxii was detected in fish from 7 of 17 Andean Patagonian lakes, with prevalences ranging between 2 and 17%. A repeating pattern of summer increment in prevalence was observed, which could be explained by the ontogenetic migratory movements of the fish in Lake Gutiérrez. Also, accumulation of plasmodia through the life span of fish was detected.

Maritrema patagonica n. sp. (Digenea: Microphallidae) cultured from Metacercariae from Freshwater Anomuran, Aegla spp. (Decapoda: Aeglidae), in Patagonia

ABSTRACT: A new microphallid digenean, Maritrema patagonica n. sp., is described from the freshwater anomuran crab, Aegla spp. Naturally infected anomuran individuals from lakes and rivers were collected in the northern region of Argentinean Patagonia. Experimental ovigerous specimens were recovered from the intestine of chicks and from in vitro culture. Adults of the new species can be distinguished by having a small body size, papillae distributed along the edge of the forebody, unspined cirrus, and a complete vitelline ring. This microphallid is the first larval digenean species to be reported from Aegla spp.

LARVAL DIGENEAN COMMUNITY PARASITIZING THE FRESHWATER SNAIL, CHILINA DOMBEYANA (PULMONATA: CHILINIDAE) IN PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE NOTOCOTYLID CATATROPIS CHILINAE

The objective of this research was to describe the structure of larval digenean communities in the freshwater snail Chilina dombeyana in Lake Mascardi, an oligotrophic Andean Patagonian lake. In total, 1,923 snails were collected during 2 sampling periods. Specimens were examined, and 8 digenean species were identified, all with allogenic life cycles. The snail infracommunities nearly always occurred as single-species infections, distributed mainly in the hepatopancreas. The double infections (0.2%) were always prepatent, and involved a schistosome and the notocotylid Catatropis chilinae. The overall prevalence, the prevalence of C. chilinae, and total species prevalence (without C. chilinae) significantly increased with snail size. Catatropis chilinae was the dominant species in all months and across all snail size classes. Maximum richness (6) was reached in the size class between 16 and 18 mm. Diversity indices, i.e., the Shannon-Wiener Index and the reciprocal of the Simpson Index, increased with snail size only during the second sampling period. No robust evidence of antagonistic interactions was found in the digenean community of C. dombeyana from Lake Mascardi.

Avian Schistosomes from the South American Endemic Gastropod Genus Chilina (Pulmonata: Chilinidae), with a Brief Review of South American Schistosome Species

Abstract:  Our current knowledge of avian schistosomes from South America is scarce in all respects, including species and generic diversity, their life cycles, patterns of host use, potential to cause dermatitis outbreaks, and evolutionary affinities. As a step towards addressing this shortcoming, the goal of this study was to provide discrete reference points relating to snail hosts, locality records, morphological attributes, sequence for nuclear 28S and ITS, and partial mitochondrial cox1 genes, and phylogenetic relationships for schistosome cercariae recovered from different species of Chilina, which are gastropods endemic to South America. In total, 1,308 snails belonging to 6 species of Chilina were collected from 12 localities across Argentina. Thirty-eight snails (2.9%) had schistosome infections. Our data indicate the presence of 3 lineages of Chilina-transmitted schistosomes, all of which group within the major avian schistosome clade. However, none of the lineages grouped within or as sister to other known avian schistosome genera in the tree, indicating they probably represent undescribed genera. The relationships of these schistosomes from Chilina spp. are discussed in relation to their position in the global schistosome phylogenetic tree.

A New Microphallid (Digenea) Species from Lontra provocax (Mammalia: Mustelidae) from Freshwater Environments of Northwestern Patagonia (Argentina)

Abstract: A new microphallid species of Maritrema is described from the native southern river otter, Lontra provocax (Thomas). A naturally infected otter was found dead in the Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina. Ovigerous adult worms were recovered from the anterior portion of the intestine. Specimens of Maritrema huillini n. sp. have an unarmed genital pore and glabrous cirrus. They can be distinguished from all other species in the genus by having a long intestinal ceca extending up to three-quarters of the testes length to the level of the posterior border of the testes and a metraterm composed of a proximal sphincter, a non-muscular sac, and a distal muscular portion. This microphallid is the first species recovered from a South American eutherian host and the first digenean recorded for L. provocax.

Phylogenetic Placement of a Schistosome from an Unusual Marine Snail Host, the False Limpet (Siphonaria lessoni) and Gulls (Larus dominicanus) from Argentina with a Brief Review of Marine Schistosomes from Snails

Abstract In the blood fluke family Schistosomatidae, marine snails are well known as intermediate hosts. Eight families of marine snails have thus far been reported to host schistosomes across the world, most of which have been implicated in human cercarial dermatitis (HCD) outbreaks. As part of our larger effort to define the species diversity and biology of schistosomes in Argentina, in particular their role in causing HCD, we searched in the marine pulmonate snail (Siphonaria lessoni) for a schistosome species described previously from S. lessoni from southern Argentina. Additionally, gulls (Larus dominicanus) collected from a different project locality (inland) were examined, because they are known to spend time in the intertidal regions. Schistosome sporocysts were found in S. lessoni, and a small worm fragment was retrieved from a gull. Molecular phylogenies for 28S, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, and cox1 genes revealed that the specimens from the gull and S. lessoni grouped closely together, suggesting they are conspecifics. Also, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 sequences suggested one of the schistosomes from S. lessoni and a schistosome from a South African penguin were also conspecifics. Further study is needed to verify if these specimens comprise a distinct marine clade within the larger avian schistosome clade that is comprised mostly of species using freshwater snail hosts. Thus far, it appears this group of marine schistosomes may be more likely found in the southern hemisphere. It is unclear if the observed distribution pattern of schistosomes in Siphonaria is a result of sampling bias and/or indicative of a specific bird–snail–schistosome association. It is clear they are sharply differentiated from the basal marine clade of avian schistosomes that includes Austrobilharzia.

Presence of Corbicula fluminea in the Upper Negro River Basin (Patagonia, Argentina)

ABSTRACT The invasive Asiatic clam, Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1778) was recorded in new western localities of Patagonia. Based on the sizes of the sampled specimens, we estimated that the first settlement of C. fluminea in the headwaters of the Rio Negro was at least 1998.