Molecular Identification of Plerocercoids of Clistobothrium montaukensis (Cestoda: Phyllobothriidea) Parasitizing the King of Herrings Regalecus glesne.

Purpose: Endo-parasites of the bathypelagic king of herrings Regalecus glesne and oarfish Regalecus russelii are only known from few specimens opportunistically examined. As a consequence, there are few records of parasites from either Regalecus species. We report plerocercoid larvae of phyllobothriidean cestodes parasitizing an adult R.

Helminth Load in Feces of Free-Ranging Blue and Fin Whales from the Gulf of California.

Introduction: This is the first worldwide systematic and quantitative study to count and identify helminth parasites from 100 blue and 44 fin whale fecal samples collected in the Gulf of California during winter (1993-2014).

Results: Blue and fin whale feces had similar prevalence of adult acanthocephalans (Bolbosoma sp.) in feces (18.

The discovery of acanthocephalans parasitizing chaetognaths.

A comprehensive literature review shows that 12 types of pathogens, micropredators and parasites are reported to interact with chaetognaths, mostly digenean trematodes, cestodes and nematodes larval stages. Through analysis of 78,152 chaetognaths from a monthly zooplankton time series (Jan 1996-Dec 1998) collected in the Mexican Central Pacific twelve acanthocephalan larvae parasitizing chaetognaths were discovered. This is the first record of an acanthocephalan parasitizing chaetognaths, raising to 13 the types of symbionts known to interact with them (excluding predators).

Seasonal variation in chaetognath and parasite species assemblages along the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Chaetognaths are abundant carnivores with broad distributions that are intermediate hosts of trophically transmitted parasites. Monthly variations in chaetognath and parasite species distributions, abundance, prevalence, and intensity related to seasonal environmental changes were recorded in 2004 and 2005 in Laguna Nichupté, a coral reef, and the adjoining continental shelf of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Of 12 chaetognath species plus Sagitta spp.

Larval trematodes Paronatrema mantae and Copiatestes sp. parasitize Gulf of California krill (Nyctiphanes simplex, Nematoscelis difficilis).

During 4 quantitative-systematic oceanographic cruises at 99 sampling stations in the Gulf of California (January and July 2007, August 2012, and June 2013), we found 2 trematode species (non-encysted mesocercaria stage) parasitizing the hemocoel of 2 krill species at near-shore locations. Copiatestes sp. parasitized Nematoscelis difficilis in January 2007, and Paronatrema mantae parasitized Nyctiphanes simplex in July 2007.