Dr. Murai Éva szerk.: Parasitologia Hungarica 25. (Budapest, 1992)

Parasit, hung., 25: 9-13,1992 © Hungarian Society of Parasitologists Metacestodosis caused by plerocercoids of Proteocephalidea (Cestoda) in fish fry cultured in large scale in the Brazilian Northeast László BÉKÉSI

1

, Vicente ASSIS FEITOSA

2 and F. Ali Baba CABRAL

2 Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Science, H-1400 Budapest P.O. Box 2, Hungary Departamento Nasional de Obras Contra as Secas, 6000 Fortaleza, Avenida Duque de Caxias, Brazil (Received 1 June, 1992) Abstract: A heretofore unknown metacestodosis caused by plerocercoids of proteocephalid cestodes in several fish species commercially bred in the Brazilian Northeast is described. The life cycle and pathology of the parasites are discussed. The adult tapeworms do not cause visible damage in the final host (tucunare, Cichla ocellaris), but invasion by plerocercoid larvae constitutes a potential threat to the fry of many fish species produced in the region. Keywords: Cestoda, plerocercoid, Amazonian fish, Cichla ocellaris, tucunare, Brazil INTRODUCTION Apart from a few papers (Conroy 1974, Thatcher 1981) few data are available on fish disease problems in neotropical waters, particularly on those of selected fish species produced in fish farms. Proteocephalid cestodes are known from the studies of Woodland (1935) on Amazonian fishes such as the tucunare (Cichla ocellaris). Rego (1984) suggested a new systematic arrangement for the species described by Woodland but failed to mention tucunare as a host. Thatcher (1981) also published data on plerocercoids of Proteocephalidea occurring on the serosa of various small fishes from the Amazon, not discussing their life cycle or definitive hosts. Schmidt (1986) confirmed that Proteocephalus microscopicus only existed in tucunare.