Ultrastructuraland molecular analysis of myxosporean parasites from Amazon Basin

• Grant number: 16/01118-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2016
• End date: March 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Inland Water Fishery Resources
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Augusto Mendes Maia
• Grantee: Tatiane Carolina Ponzetto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Myxosporean are cosmopolitan parasites and infect mainly fish and annelids. To date approximately 2,400 species have been described. However, for South America, where is the largest fish diversity, there are still few studies considering these parasites. The Amazon basin has an extraordinary fish fauna, with species still unknown and others with large economic importance in fishing or as ornamental fish, as well as with potential for fish farm. Among the species of economic importance, for both extractive fishing and fish farm potential, are those of the Pimelodidae family. In this proposal, the aim is study the taxonomic and parasite-host relationship of myxosporeans found infecting Pseudoplatystoma triginum (caparari) and Pseudoplatystomapunctifer (cachara) from the natural environment of the Amazon Basin, in the municipality of Santarém, state of Pará, in the meeting place of the Tapajós and Amazon rivers region. For taxonomic analysis, will be used traditional tools of morphological analysis, combined with the modern techniques of molecular biology and ultrastructure. For the study of host-parasite relationship will be used ultrastructural analyses.