Alves, A.M., G.T. Souza, J.F. Freire, V.F.S. Lima, R.M. Takemoto, L.E.R. Tavares, C.M. de Melo, R.R. Madi, V.de Lourdes & S. Jeraldo. (2025). Hatschekia albirubra (Copepoda: Hatschekiidae) in Lutjanidae (Pisces: Perciformes), with an Amendment to the Species Diagnosis. Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences. 41(4):1-9. Oct 2025.

516584

10.1007/s41208-025-00943-y [view]

Alves, A.M., G.T. Souza, J.F. Freire, V.F.S. Lima, R.M. Takemoto, L.E.R. Tavares, C.M. de Melo, R.R. Madi, V.de Lourdes & S. Jeraldo

2025

41(4):1-9. Oct 2025

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Available for editors   [request]

The genus Hatschekia is a group of crustacean parasites exclusive to marine teleost fish and represents one of the largest groups of parasitic copepods. Most Hatschekia species are known from hosts living in tropical and subtropical regions, including Perciform fish from the family Lutjanidae. However, the morphology of some species remains inadequately described. Particularly, Hatschekia albirubra exhibits poorly characterized morphological features, such as the specific configuration of leg pairs 1 and 2, the lack of description of structures such as the mandibles and the lack of description of the third and fourth pairs of legs, although the latter is not used as a taxonomic character, reinforce the need for an updated diagnosis. This study reports H. albirubra parasitizing Lutjanus analis and Lutjanus jocu from the northeastern coast of Brazil, providing an amended diagnosis of the species based on newly collected specimens. Copepods were collected from the gills of the fish; some specimens were clarified in lactic acid or Hoyer's medium for illustration and schematic representation, others were prepared for scanning electron microscopy, and the remaining were preserved in 70% ethanol. Prevalence (P%), mean intensity (MI), and mean abundance (MA) were calculated, where L. jocu obtained higher values (P%= 30.43; MI = 7.14(+/- 5.08); MA = 2.17(+/- 4.28)) in relation to L. analis (P%= 1.40; MI = 6(+/- 0.00); MA = 0.08(+/- 0.72)). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to determine the correlation between host length and copepod abundance, where a significant relationship was found with L. jocu (rs = 0.572; p = 0.004). Morphological features, such as the segmentation and number of setae on the 1st and 2nd pairs of legs of the collected specimens, differ from those described in the literature to H. albirubra. Additionally, the presence of the 3rd and 4th pairs of legs reduced to simple setae, not mentioned in previous descriptions, is reported here.

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