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ARTICLES

Vol. 15 No. 2 (2026): Rev. Arg. Parasitol.

Co-introduction of the acanthocephalan Neoechinorhynchus villoldoi Vizcaíno, 1992 into the Río Negro (Patagonia) through the invasion of the catfish Hoplisoma paleatum

Submitted
August 18, 2026
Published
2026-10-24

Abstract

Fish introductions outside their natural range can facilitate the dispersal of their parasites to new localities. This study expands the knowledge on the geographic distribution of the acanthocephalan Neoechinorhynchus villoldoi in Argentina. In October 2018, 30 specimens of the invasive catfish Hoplisoma paleatum were collected from an arm of the Río Negro, at Pomona locality, Río Negro Province, Argentina. Fish were examined by dissection, and the recovered acanthocephalans were identified based on morphological and morphometric characters. Paratypes of N. villoldoi corresponding to the original description were also examined. Seven specimens of H. paleatum were infected, with a prevalence of 23.3% and a mean intensity of 1.6. The morphological features of the acanthocephalans matched those described for N. villoldoi. This finding constitutes the first record of N. villoldoi in Argentine Patagonia and represents a considerable southward expansion of its distribution. Considering that H. paleatum is an exotic species in the Río Negro basin and that other co-introduced parasites associated with this host have been previously reported, we propose that N. villoldoi may have been introduced together with its definitive host. The upstream expansion of H. paleatum in the basin could favor the dispersal of the acanthocephalan. These results highlight the importance of considering the associated parasite fauna during the invasion process of exotic species.

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