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ARTICLES

Vol. 14 No. 1 (2025): Rev. Arg. Parasitol.

Hidden biodiversity: a contribution to the knowledge of the fish parasites in the Luján River

Submitted
May 5, 2025
Published
2025-04-30

Abstract

In lotic ecosystems such as the Luján River in Buenos Aires province, the interactions between fish and their parasites exemplify the diverse ecological relationships that shape these environments. Understanding these relationships is essential to identify underlying patterns and assess their potential as biological and environmental indicators. Given the key role of parasites as ecosystem components and the limited information available on fish parasites in the Luján River, the objective of this study is to analyse the endohelminth assemblages in fish from the middle-upper basin of the Luján River. Four fish sampling campaigns were conducted in 2022 at three sites along the main channel of the Luján River: M. J. García, Las Tropas, and Ruta 6. A total of 140 specimens representing the orders Characiformes, Cyprinodontiformes and Siluriformes were collected and examined, and endohelminths were identified to the highest possible taxonomic resolution. Twenty parasite-host associations were documented, highlighting the first record of Genarchella spp. Parasitizing Bryconamericus iheringii, and the first record of Polymorphidae cystacanth larvae in a freshwater fish from northeastern Buenos Aires province, with B. iheringii identified as novel host for these larvae.

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