Parasites of the Silversides Odontesthes smitti and Odontesthes nigricans (Pisces: Atherinopsidae) from Argentinean Patagonia

Seventeen parasite species (1 microsporidean, 1 cestode, 5 digeneans, 6 nematodes, 2 acanthocephalans, and 2 copepods) were recovered from a total of 356 Odontesthes smitti and 125 Odontesthes nigricans (Atherinopsidae). Fishes were collected from Nuevo and San Jose gulfs, Argentinean Sea, from April 2003 to February 2005. The following parasites were found: Microsporidia (xenomas); Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea plerocercoid larvae; Digenea: Prosorhynchoides sp. metacercariae (Bucephalidae). Aponurus laguncula, Lecithaster sp. (Lecithasteridae). Proctotrema sp. (Monorchiidae), Diphterostomum sp. (Zoogonidae); Nematoda: Cucullanus marplatensis (Cucullanidae), Huffmanela moraveci (Trichosomoididae), Cosmocephalus obvelatus L3 (Acuariidae), Anisakis sp. L3. Pseudoterranova sp. L3, Contracaecum sp. L3 (Anisakidae); Acanthocephala: Corynosoma sp. cystacanth larvae (Polymorphidae), Hypoechino-rhynchus sp. (Arhythmacanthidae); Crustacea: Bomolochus globiceps (Bomolochidae) and Peniculus sp. (Penelidae). Odontesthes smitti and O. nigricans are new host records for most these parasites.