Trichodina colisae (Ciliophora: Trichodinidae): new parasite records for two freshwater fish species farmed in Brazil

• Published in: Revista brasileira de parasitologia veterinaria Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 366 - 371
• Main Authors: Jerônimo, Gabriela Tomas, Marchiori, Natália da Costa, Pádua, Santiago Benites de, Dias Neto, José, Pilarski, Fabiana, Ishikawa, Márcia Mayumi, Martins, Maurício Laterça
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Colégio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinária 01.10.2012
• Subjects: Animals; Brazil; Characidae - parasitology; Ciliophora - physiology; Fresh Water; PARASITOLOGY; VETERINARY SCIENCES; Brazil; sanidade aquícola; patinga hybrid; parasito de peixe; Pacu; patinga; fish parasite; aquaculture health
• ISSN: 0103-846X; 1984-2961; 1984-2961
• DOI: 10.1590/S1984-29612012005000008

Family Trichodinidae comprises ciliate protozoa distributed worldwide; they are considered some of the main parasitological agents infecting cultivated fish. However, the trichodinidae parasitizing important fish species cultured in Brazil are unknown, and more taxonomic studies on this group of parasites are required. This research morphologically characterizes Trichodina colisae Asmat & Sultana, (2005) of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) and patinga hybrid (P. mesopotamicus × P. brachypomus) cultivated in the central and southeast regions of the country. Fresh assemblies were made from mucus scraped from the skin, fins and gills, fixed with methanol and, subsequently, impregnated with silver nitrate and stained with Giemsa for assessment under light microscopy. This research reports not only the second occurrence of T. colisae in the world, but also its first occurrence in South America.