Digenea in notothenioid fish in the Beagle Channel (Magellanic sub-region, sub-Antarctica)

Abstract

AbstractFish of five species of Notothenioidei (104 specimens), Cottoperca trigloides, Patagonotothen brevicauda, P. longipes, P. tessellata and Champsocephalus esox, caught in the Beagle Channel (Magellanic sub-region, sub-Antarctica) were infected with Digenea of nine species (1130 specimens). Faunistic data on the occurrence of all nine parasites are provided. The most abundant digenean species was Macvicaria magellanica found in the intestine of three host species of the genus Patagonotothen. The second most abundant digenean species was Elytrophalloides oatesi found in the stomach of four host species, with exception of P. brevicauda. Three digenean species: Stenakron kerguelense, Whitegonimus ozoufae and Genolinea bowersi, were more abundant in fish caught at the harbor of Ushuaia (depth 7–9 m), remaining six species: M. magellanica, Neolepidapedoides subantarcticus, Postmonorchis variabilis, Derogenes varicus, E. oatesi and Lecithaster macrocotyle, in the eastern mouth of the Beagle Channel (depth 30 m).