Diplostomidae metacercariae (Digenea: Diplostomoidea) in Geophagus brasiliensis (Perciformes: Cichlidae) from Guandu river, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

The qualitative and quantitative analyses of diplostomid metacercariae in Geophagus brasiliensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) of the Guandu river, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, are provided. Between April 2006 and March 2007, 200 specimens of G. brasiliensis were collected and necropsied. Further, five morphotypes of diplostomid metacercariae were obtained, namely, Austrodiplostomum compactum, Diplostomum sp., Posthodiplostomum sp. 1, Posthodiplostomum sp. 2 and Neascus type 1. Whereas the metacercariae of Diplostomum sp., Posthodiplostomum sp. 1 and Posthodiplostomum sp. 2 were described, a new site of infection of A. compactum was registered and a new geographical report for Neascus type 1, responsible for the black-spot disease, has been added. Current investigation enhances the importance of G. brasiliensis as an intermediate host of diplostomid trematodes and the diversity of these larvae in the Guandu river.