Cymatocarpus solearis, metacercania braquicoélida, parásito de Panulirus argus (Crustacea: Decapoda) del Caribe mexicano

Abstract

SEVENTY EIGHT ABDOMENS OF THE SPINY LOBSTER PANULIRUS ARGUS OBTAINED FROM JUNE TO NOVEMBER 2000 FROM A COMMERCIAL FISHERY COOPERATIVE AT PUNTA ALLEN, IN THE MEXICAN CARIBBEAN SEA. FROM A TOTAL OF 28 PARASITIZED LOBSTERS, 720 ENCYSTED METACERCARIAE OF THE FAMILY BRACHYCOELIIDAE WERE FOUND IN THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLE. PREVALENCE WAS 35.8% AND THE MEAN INTENSITY WAS 26 PERHOST. CYSTS MEASURED FROM 0.6 TO 1.5 (1.07) MM, AND CAN BE OBSERVED WITH UN AIDED EYE AS SMALL, OPAQUE - WHITISH SPHERES. EXCYSTED METACERCARIAE MEASURED 2.66 TO 4.14 MM LENGHT, AND 0.84 TO 1.48 MM WIDTH HAVING THE TYPICAL MORPHOLOGY OF CYMATOCARPUS SOLEARIS BRAUN 1899. THIS TREMATODE IS DESCRIBED FOR THE FIRST TIME PARASITIZING P. ARGUS IN THE MEXICAN CARIBBEAN SEA.