<b>Relation between the relative condition factor (Kn) and the abundance of gill ectoparasites in two species of cichlids from the Paraná river basin, Brazil</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v30i3.3625

Abstract

The study analyzed 33 specimens of Satanoperca pappaterra, captured from the upper Paraná river floodplain between March 2004 and June of 2005, and 33 specimens of Crenicichla niederleinii captured from the Itaipu Reservoir between November 2005 and November 2006. Both were parasitized by monogeneans pertaining to the genus Sciadicleithrum and by metacercariae of Ascocotyle sp. The relative condition factor (Kn) did not differ significantly between parasitized and unparasitized individuals from the two host species. Only Sciadicleithrum sp.1, parasite of S. pappaterra, presented positive and significant correlation between the relative condition factor (Kn) and the abundance of parasitism. On the other hand, Ascocotyle sp. in both hosts and Sciadicleithrum sp.2 parasite of C. niederleinii did not present correlations between the Kn and the abundance of parasitism.