Proc. Helminthol. Soc. Wash. 52(1), 1985, pp. 85-94 Digenetic Trematodes of Marine Fishes of the Western and Southwestern Coasts of Puerto Rico WILLIAM G. DYER,' ERNEST H. WILLIAMS, JR.,2 AND LUCY BUNKLEY WiLLiAMS2 1 Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901 and 2 Department of Marine Science, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico 00708 ABSTRACT: A comprehensive study was made in coastal waters of western and southwestern Puerto Rico from 1974 to 1984 to inventory the digenetic flukes of marine fishes. A total of 1,019 fishes representing 76 families, 155 genera, and 252 species were examined. Nineteen families of digenetic flukes representing 52 genera and 66 species were recorded, including 11 digenea not previously known from Puerto Rico. Four new host records were established. Most infections were of a single species and although prevalence and intensity were low, host specificity was high. Major contributions to knowledge of the di- The 66 species of flukes detected represented 19 genetic flukes of marine fishes of Puerto Rico families and 52 genera (Table 1). Of the 70 species stem from the early studies of Cable (1954a, b, of fishes that were infected, 56 (80%) harbored 1956a, b), LeZotte (1954), and the more recent 1 species of digenetic fluke, 8 species (11.4%) 2, comprehensive report by Siddiqi and Cable and 2 species (2.9%) with 3 to a maximum of 5 (1960). species of flukes. Fish negative for digeneans are Between April 1974 and January 1984 addi- listed in Appendix 1. tional data were obtained from examining 1,019 The intensity of a given species ranged from marine fishes representing 69 families of bony 1 to 100 flukes per host. Each of 88 fishes yielded fishes and 7 families of elasmobranchs from 1-5 specimens; 18, 6-10; 4, 11-15; 3, 20; 5,21- coastal waters of western and southwestern Puer- 25; 3, 30-35; 3, 50; and 4 yielded 58, 76, 90, to Rico and Mona Island for digenetic flukes. and 100 specimens, respectively. Scientific and common names used in this report For most of the fish species examined, the are the names of fishes recognized by the Amer- prevalence of infection with digenetic flukes was ican Fisheries Society (Robins et al., 1960). low. However, 20.8% of 24 French grunts, Hae- mulon flavolineatum (Desmarest) were infected Materials and Methods with Infundibulostomum spinatum Siddiqi and A variable mesh gill net, trawl net, seine, traps, spear- Cable, 1960; 33.3% of 6 manytooth conger, Con- fishing and hook and line supplemented by quinaldine, ger triporiceps Kanazawa with Dinurus barbatus and rotenone to obtain species inhabiting reefs and (Cohn, 1903); and 37.5% of 8 Bothus sp. were shallow water were all used to collect fishes. Fishes infected with Lecithochirium monticellii (Lin- were placed in plastic bags containing seawater and held in styrofoam containers for transport to the lab- ton, 1898). oratory where they were refrigerated and usually nec- Fifty-two (78.8%) of the 66 species of digenetic ropsied immediately. flukes recovered occurred in 1 host species, 10 Flukes were washed in 0.7% saline, flattened with (15.2%) in 2, and the remaining 4 (6%) in 3, 5, minimal coverslip pressure, fixed with warm AFA, and stored in 70% ethanol. Specimens were stained with 6, and 8 host species, respectively. either Harris' hematoxylin or Grenacher's alcoholic Eleven of the 66 fluke species are reported from borax carmine and prepared as whole mounts in Can- Puerto Rico for the first time: Rhagorchis odhneri ada balsam. Voucher specimens of most species have Manter, 1931; Lecithostaphylus nitens (Linton, been deposited in the National Parasite Collection, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland, under the accession num- 1898); Opechona chloroscombri Nahhas and Ca- bers listed in Table 1. Other specimens are in the au- ble, 1964; Bathycotyle coryphaenae Yamaguti, thors' collections. 1938; Opisthadena dimidia Linton, 1910; Rhyn- chopharynx paradoxa Odhner, 1928; Genitoco- Results tyle atlantica Manter, 1947; Barisomum erubes- One or more species of digenetic flukes were cens Linton, 1910; Deretrema fusillus Linton, recovered from 128 (12.6%) of 1,019 fishes rep- 1910; Tubulovesicula pinguis (Linton, 1940); and resenting 41 (53.9%) of 76 families, 59 (38.1%) Plagioporus crassigula (Linton, 1910). To our of 155 genera, and 70 (27.8%) of 252 species. knowledge, the following are new host records: 85 Copyright © 2011, The Helminthological Society of Washington 86 PROCEEDINGS OF THE HELMINTHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Table 1. Digenetic flukes of marine fishes from coastal water of western and southwestern Puerto Rico. No. hosts examined/no. USNM infected/avg. Helm, Host (no. examined/ no. worms per Coll. no. infected) Parasite Locality, date infected host No. Bony fishes Acanthuridae (surgeonfishes) Acanthurus chirurgus Hapladena acanthuri Siddiqi and Desecheo Island, October 1/1/2 77797 (Bloch) 9/4 Cable, 1960 11, 1975 Pseitdodichadena lobata Yamagu- Cayo Enrique, LaParguera, 1/1/3 ti, 1971 nee. Dichadena acuta September 8, 1975 Linton, 1910 Turrumote reef, LaParguera, 1/1/1 March 8, 1975 Tetrochetus aluterae (Hanson, Turrumote reef, LaParguera, 1/1/7 77728 1955) August 23, 1975 Anomalopidae (flashlight fishes) Kryptophanaron alfredi Lecithochirium monticellii (Lin- Margarita reef, LaParguera, 2/1/5 Silvester and Fowler ton, 1898) May 3, 1978 3/2 Lecithochirium parvwn Manter, Margarita reef, LaParguera, 2/1/2 1947 May 3, 1978 Antennariidae (frogfishes) Antennarius scaber (Cu- Lecithochirium parvurn Mouth of Anasco River, 2/2/4.5 77737 vier) 2/2 Mayagiiez Bay, March 1, 1975 Apogonidae (cardinalfishes) Phaeoptyx xenus (Bohlke Pseudopecoelus tortugae von Salinas, December 25, 1976 1/1/1 et Randall) 1/1 Wicklen, 1946 Balistidae (leather) ackets) Aluterus schoepfi (Wal- Rhagorchis odhneri Manter, 1931 Channel between Isla Ma- 1/1/4 77772 haum) 3/1 gueyes and LaParguera, July 20, 1977 Monacanthus ciliatux Megapera gyrina (Linton, 1907) LaParguera, May 2, 1981 2/2/2 77774 (Mitchill) 5/2 Multitestis (Multitestoides) brasi- LaParguera, May 2, 1981 2/2/1.5 77764 liensis Amato, 1983 Belonidae (needlefishes) Platybelone argalus (Le- Lecithostaphylus nitons (Linton, Isla LaCueva, March 5, 1/1/1 77799 sueur) 3/1 1898) 1975 Bothidae (lefteye flounders) Bothus lunatus (Lin- Lecithochirium monticellii Cayo Enrique, LaParguera, 1/1/11 naeus) 4/2 February 7, 1979 Hamacreadium mutabile Linton, Playa Sardinero, Mona Is- 1/1/4 78004 1910 land, April 12, 1975 Bothus sp. 8/3 Lecithochirium monticellii Mouth of Anasco River, 8/3/1.7 77745 Mayagiiez Bay, March 26, 1981 Copyright © 2011, The Helminthological Society of Washington OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME 52, NUMBER 1, JANUARY 1985 87 Table 1. Continued. No. hosts examined/no. USNM infected/avg. Helm. Host (no. examined/ no. worms per Coll. no. infected) Parasite Locality, date infected host No. Carangidae (jacks) Caranx lugubris Poey Lecithochirium microcercus Carbinero Point, Mona Is- 1/1/2 1/1 (Manter, 1947) land, October 13, 1974 Chloroscombrus chrysu- Opechona chloroscombri Nahhas Mayagiiez Bay, February 1/1/4 77771 rus (Linnaeus) 5/1 and Cable, 1964 16, 1979 Decapterus macarellus Tergestia laticollis (Rudolphi, Crashboat Pier, Aguadilla, 2/1/8 77887 (Cuvier) 2/1 1819) September 27, 1983 Oligoplites saurus Manteria brachyderus (Manter, LaParguera, October 7, 1/1/1 77723 (Schneider) 2/1 1940) 1977 Selene setapinnis (Mitch- Tergestia pectinata (Linton, Bahia de Guanica, Septem- 15/1/2 ell) 39/1 1905) ber 24, 1974 Trachinotus goodei Jor- Neolepidapedon (Neolepidape- Mona Island, May 25, 1977 1/1/1 77770 dan and Evermann 1/1 doides) trachinoti Siddiqi and Cable, 1960 Centropomidae (snooks) Centropomus undecima- Theletrum fustiforme Linton, Mouth of Anasco River, 1/1/1 77756 lis (Bloch) 7/1 1910 Mayagiiez Bay, March 12, 1975 Chaetodontidae (butterflyfishes) Chaetodon ocellatus Lecithochirium parvum Mario reef, LaParguera, 1/1/7 77874 Bloch 7/1 March 16, 1976 Clupeidae (herrings) Harengula humeralis Parahemiurus merus (Linton, Crashboat Pier, Aguadilla, 1/1/5 (Cuvier) 1/1 1910) January 22, 1984 Congridae (conger eels) Conger triporiceps Kana- Dinurus barbatus (Cohn, 1903) Mouth of Anasco River, 6/2/80 77739 zawa 6/4 Mayagiiez Bay, October 9, 1975 Elytrophallus chloroscombri (Sid- Mouth of Anasco River, 6/1/1 77740 diqi and Cable, 1960) Mayagiiez Bay, October 9, 1975 Lecithochirium monticellii Mouth of Anasco River, 6/1/20 11141 Mayagiiez Bay, October 9, 1975 Coryphaenidae (dolphins) Coryphaena hippiirus Bathycotyle coryphaenae Yama- LaParguera, March 20, 1/1/1 77729 (Linnaeus) 2/2 guti, 1938 1976 LaParguera, March 23, 1/1/4 77729 1976 Diodontidae (porcupinefishes) Diodon hystrix Linnaeus Opistholebes diodontis Cable, Ahogados reef, LaParguera, 4/1/20 77789 6/1 1956 Aprils, 1981 Ephippidae (spadefishes) Chaetodipterus faber Aponurus elongatus Siddiqi and Media Luna reef, La- 4/1/22 77734 (Broussonet) 9/6 Cable, 1960 Parguera, February 4, 1981 Lecithaster sp. Mario reef, LaParguera, 1/1/6 77958 February 24, 1976 Multitestis (Multitestis) incon- Mario reef, LaParguera, 1/1/5 77955 stans (Linton, 1905) September 2, 1977 Copyright © 2011, The Helminthological Society of Washington 88 PROCEEDINGS OF THE HELMINTHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Table 1. Continued. No. hosts examined/no. USNM infected/avg. Helm, Host (no. examined/ no. worms per Coll. no. infected) Parasite Locality, date infected host No. Media Luna reef, La- 4/1/6 77763 Parguera, February 4, 1981 Multitestis (Multitestoides) brasi- LaParguera, November 25, 1/1/1 77765 liensis 1974 LaParguera, November 17, 1/1/100