Helminth parasites of Paralichthys californicus (Osteichthyes: Paralichthydae) in Estero de Punta Banda, Todos Santos Bay and San Quintin Bay, Baja California, Mexico

Abstract

The helminthological record of the California halibut, Paralichthys californicus, in Estero de Punta Banda, Todos Santos Bay and San Quintin Bay, Baja California, Mexico, is described. A total of 102 halibut was analyzed and 14 helminth species were identified: six were adult trematodes (Stephanostomum dentatum, Criptogoniminae, Metadena magdalenae, Opegaster parapristipomatis, Parahemiurus merus and Tubulovesicula lindbergi); six nematodes (Spirocamallanus pereirai, Philometra sp. and Hysterothylacium sp. in the adult stage, and Anisakis sp., Contracaecum sp. and Porrocaecum sp. as larvae); a cestode (Tetraphyllidea); and an acanthocephalan (Corynosoma strumosum) in the larval stage. At the three sites, Anisakis sp. larvae and the plerocercoids from the order Tetraphyllidea were important, due to their high values of abundance and prevalence. Anisakis sp. is important for humans, because of the risk it presents for contracting anisakiasis disease.