PARASITOLOGICAL INDICES OF PACIFIC POMFRET BRAMA JAPONICA HILGENDORF, 1878 (OSTEICHTHYES, BRAMIDAE) ACQUIRED AT THE FISHING TERMINAL OF CHORRILLOS LIMA, PERU

Abstract

Pacific Pomfret Brama japonica Hilgendorf, 1878 is a migratory pelagic fish of Pacific Ocean. Between August and September 2011, 51 specimens of B. japonica were obtained in Fishing Terminal of Chorrillos, Lima, Peru for the evaluation of: (1) ecological indices of the parasite components of the metazoan fauna of B. japonica, and 2) aggregation and selectivity of ectoparasites and endoparasites most prevalent in B. japonica. The parasites were collected and counted using standard protocols. The ectoparasitic copepod Hatschekia conifera Yamaguti, 1939 had the highest P (prevalence), MI (Medium Intensity), ANA (Abundance Numeric Average) and IEN (Specific Importance Numerical). The endoparasite Hepatoxylon trichiuri (Holten,1802) Dollfus, 1942 presented the highest values of VAA (volumetric average abundance) and VEI (Volumetric specific importance). In H. conifera, H. trichiuri and Koellikeria filicollis (Rudolphi, 1819) Cobbold, 1860, dispersion indices showed an aggregate distribution. Gill sections demonstrated that H. conifera with Dispersion Index (ID) and the Morisita index (I ) showing M greater aggregation in the medial section. ANA of H. conifera showed preference to II, I and III gill arches and medial section. In H. trichiuri, aggregation distribution for ID and IM by location showed that 70% was aggregated and 30% was uniform. Mostly selectivity was observed on H. trichiuri in mesentery, intestine, oropharyngeal cavity and operculum. The total length and weight of B. japonica showed no correlation with parasitological indices of H. conifera, H. trichiuri and K. filicollis. There was only an association between ANA of H. conifera and sex of B. japonica. The K (relative condition factor) was not found associated with the abundance of any of the more n prevalent parasites. A positive relationship was only seen between Gonadosomatic Index (GSI) and H. conifera. In the case of Component community, noted parasites had high values of dominance according to Simpson and Berger-Parker, and low rates of homogeneity by Shannon, Brillouin and Evenness. The Chao-1 values showed that the community is required to increase the sample size. There was an association between H. conifera versus H. trichiuri and between K. filicollis and Contracaecum sp.