Digenea in the surubim Pseudoplatystoma corruscans (Spix and Agassiz, 1829) (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae) of the upper São Francisco River, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

The specimens of surubim, Pseudoplatystoma corruscans (Spix and Agassiz, 1829), an important food fish with high commercial value in the Upper São Francisco River, were collected downstream from the Três Marias Dam, in the municipality of Três Marias, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Thirty-six individuals were examined and among the parasites, four species of Digenea were found: Witenbergia witenbergi Vaz, 1932 and Tylodelphys sp. (metacercarie), both with prevalence above 10%, followed by Acanthostomum gnerii (Szidat, 1958) and Acanthostomum sp.. The total length of the hosts did not influence the parasite prevalence. Witenbergia witenbergi occurred only in female hosts and the abundance of Tylodelphys sp. was higher in the males. These Digenea were recorded for the first time in P. corruscans, and their known geographic distribution has been expanded to the São Francisco Basin in Brazil.