Helminth Parasite Communities of Two Scorpaena spp. (Scorpaenidae) From Reefs of Veracruz, Mexico

Scorpaena brasiliensis and S. plumieri are relevant fish species in reef systems, but little is known about their parasitic helminth communities and their structure. This paper describes such community in terms of species richness and diversity. A helminthological study was conducted on 33 specimens of S. brasiliensis and 36 S. plumieri, captured in the Pajaros and Cabezo Reefs, in the Veracruz Reef System National Park (VRSNP), Veracruz, Mexico. The helminth community structure was analyzed in both host species. A total of 10 parasitic species was registered in S. brasiliensis (5 digeneans, 1 cestode, 3 nematodes, 1 acanthocephalan), while S. plumieri hosted 11 species (4 digeneans, 1 monogenean, 1 cestode, 4 nematodes, 1 acanthocephalan), with 8 common species. The species with the highest prevalence were Pseudocapillaria (Icthyocapillaria) sp., with 18.2% and 19.4% in S. brasiliensis and S. plumieri, respectively. Component community richness for S. brasiliensis was S = 10, with Shannon index diversity value of H’ = 2.08. For S. plumieri, such values were of S = 11 and H’ = 1.91. Richness and diversity in the component and infracommunity levels for both hosts are lower than in other parasite communities of marine fishes in the southern Gulf of Mexico.