Abstract

SANTOS-BUSTOS, Nataly Graciela et al. Influence of climate variations on parasitic infections of Scomberomorus sierra (Jordan et Starks) in Acapulco Bay, Guerrero, Mexico. Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient [online]. 2024, vol.40, 55041.  Epub Mar 17, 2025. ISSN 0188-4999.  https://doi.org/10.20937/rica.55041.

There are few studies focused on determining the possible effects of natural oceanographic phenomena such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the structuring of marine parasite communities. A total of 391 Scomberomorus sierra specimens were examined for parasites over a 9-year period (March 2011 to May 2019) in Acapulco Bay, Guerrero, Mexico. This study aimed to examine the effects of anomalous climatic events such as La Niña and El Niño on the parasite communities of this marine fish. Twenty species of metazoan parasites (15 helminths and five crustaceans) were identified during the present study. The parasite communities were characterized by a high dominance of ectoparasites, representing 80 % of the total number of collected parasites. Important changes in the structure and species composition of the parasite communities were recorded during the cold and warm phases of ENSO. Intestinal parasite infections were more frequent during the cold phase, while copepod ectoparasite infections were more frequent and intense during the warm weather. Variations in the infection levels of some species of ecto and endoparasites generated important changes in the parasite community structure of S. sierra in Acapulco Bay during these atypical climatic events.

Keywords : marine parasites; El Niño; community dynamics; predatory fish; South Pacific.

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