Study of the ectoparasitic fauna of Myloplus tiete (Characiformes, Serrasalmidae) from the Paraná River, State of São Paulo, Brazil

• Grant number: 24/00835-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Inland Water Fishery Resources
• Principal Investigator: Aline Cristina Zago
• Grantee: Rebeca Martins de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The greatest diversity and richness of freshwater fish in the Neotropical region is found in the continental tropical waters from Brazil. Myloplus tiete, an endemic fish species from Brazil commonly known as "pacu rosa" or "pacu silver", is threatened with extinction, being found only in some places in the Upper Paraná River basin. This fish species has been little studied from a scientific point of view, so there is a lack of data on the basic biology of the species, including those related to the knowledge of its parasitic fauna and the host-parasite relationship. Therefore, it is essential to study this species in order to gather information and biological data that can contribute to drawing up possible conservation plans for the species. In view of this, the present study aims to characterize the ectoparasitic fauna of M. tiete from the Paraná River, State of São Paulo, Brazil, as well as analyze the composition and structure of its parasite component community. For this, 30 specimens of M. tiete will be analyzed from the reservoir of the "Engenheiro Souza Dias" Hydroelectric Plant (Jupiá), on the Paraná River, between the cities of Castilho/SP and Três Lagoas/MS. In the laboratory, the fish will be necropsied and examined to detect the presence of possible ectoparasites. The composition and structure of the ectoparasite community will be evaluated, and the following parameters will be analyzed: prevalence, mean intensity of infestation intensity, mean abundance, distribution pattern of parasite species, dominance, richness and diversity.