Metazoan parasites of the thumb grenadier Nezumia pulchella, from the south-eastern Pacific, off Chile, and their use for discrimination of host populations

The parasite communities of Nezumia pulchella across its geographical range in the south-eastern Pacific were described, from 217 fish captured from four localities in northern and central Chile (24° S to 33° S). Five ectoparasites and 13 endoparasites were recorded and the highest prevalence and intensity of infection was found for the copepods Jusheyhoea macrura and Clavella sp. 1, for the monogenean Diclidophora sp. and for the larval acanthocephalan Corynosoma australe. Parasite species richness decreased with latitude. Multivariate discriminant analysis and correspondence analysis supported the use of parasites of N. pulchella to discriminate populations of this host, suggesting the existence of three well-defined host populations in the geographical range examined. Jusheyhoea macrura, C. australe, Lophoura sp., Diclidophora sp., Capillaria sp. and Proleptus sp. were the most important species for discriminant analysis.