Distribution patterns of two species of Corynosoma (Acanthocephala: Polymorphidae) in fishes from Southwestern Atlantic

CANEL, DELFINA; LEVY, EUGENIA; ALARCOS, ANA J.; BRAICOVICH, PAOLA E.; CANTATORE, DELFINA M. P.; IRIGOITIA, MANUEL M.; LANFRANCHI, ANA L.; TIMI, JUAN T.

PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH

SPRINGER

Año: 2019

0932-0113

Corynosomaaustrale and C. cetaceum are the most frequently reported acanthocephalans in fishfrom the Argentine Sea, particularly in central and northern areas. Theirdefinitive hosts are otariids and odontocete cetaceans, respectively. The lowspecificity of these larvae, in combination with high infective capability andlong survival periods in fish, make them potentially good biological markersfor stocks and other biological features of their fish hosts. In order todetermine the distribution patterns of these species and their determiningfactors, a large dataset composed by newly collected fish samples, publishedand unpublished data from previous studies by the authors in the region wereanalysed in relation to host and environmental variables. The complete datasetcomprised a total of 5084 fish, belonging to 29 species distributed in 21families and 9 orders. Host size and trophic habits arose as the maindeterminants of abundance for both species of Corynosoma, showing higher abundances on larger fish and on highertrophic levels, as it is usual for trophically transmitted parasites.Biogeographic province and depth (indirectly representing the temperature ofwater) were the main drivers of the spatial distribution, displaying alatitudinal pattern associated to the temperature clines created by theinteraction of Malvinas and Brazil currents, determining a decrease inabundance southwards and towards the deeper areas. No patterns were foundregarding the distribution of definitive hosts. The knowledge of thesedistribution patterns of Corynosoma spp.in fish at regional scale, as well as of their causes, provides usefulinformation to design management and conservation policies thus contributing tomaintain the full and sustainable productivity of fisheries.