Sphincterodiplostomum musculosum (Digenea, Diplostomidae) in Geophagus brasiliensis (Perciformes, Cichlidae) collected in a lake at Dois Córregos, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Geophagus brasiliensis is a freshwater cichlid distributed throughout the whole South America. It is a territorial fish, generally omnivorous, which preferentially inhabits the bottom of water bodies. Previous studies have reported species of digenetic trematodes parasitizing G. brasiliensis. This study identifies the Sphincterodiplostomum musculosum Dubois, 1936, a Diplostomidae digenetic, commonly found in many teleostean species. More than 50% of the hosts analyzed had their eyes infected with metacercariae of S. musculosum. A positive correlation was observed between the hosts standard length and the abundance of S. musculosum, a fact that corroborates with other studies on this parasite. This paper reports the first occurrence of S. musculosum in G. brasiliensis, which is also the first record in Dois Córregos City, São Paulo State, Brazil.