METAZOAN PARASITE COMMUNITY OF THE YELLOW SNAPPER LUTJANUS ARGENTIVENTRIS: FACTORS THAT INFLUENCING SPECIES...

Area of Science:

• Marine biology
• Parasitology
• Ecology

Background:

• Lutjanus argentiventris, a fish species, hosts diverse parasite communities.
• Understanding parasite dynamics is crucial for marine ecosystem health.
• Previous studies on Lutjanus spp. provide a baseline for comparison.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify and analyze parasite communities in Lutjanus argentiventris.
• To identify factors influencing changes in parasite species richness and composition over time.
• To assess the stability of parasite communities in response to environmental changes.

Main Methods:

• Collection of 366 Lutjanus argentiventris specimens over a 5-year period (October 2018 - June 2022).
• Quantification and analysis of parasite communities, including digeneans and copepods.
• Statistical analysis to determine factors affecting species richness and composition.

Main Results:

• Digeneans and copepods were the dominant parasite groups.
• Ectoparasites, primarily isopod larvae, numerically dominated the communities.
• Species richness (9-23 species) was comparable to other Lutjanus species.
• High variability in parasite species composition was observed.
• Species richness and diversity remained stable over the study period, with no clear interannual variation patterns.

Conclusions:

• Parasite communities in Lutjanus argentiventris show high species composition variability.
• Host traits (feeding behavior, body size) and environmental factors likely influence community structure.
• Environmental factors, potentially amplified by La Niña, may contribute to community variations.
• Despite compositional shifts, overall parasite richness and diversity were stable over time.