INFECTION BY Genypterus blacodes (SCHNEIDER, 1801)BY PARASITIC COPEPOD Sphyrion laevigatum (QUOY & GAIMARD, 1824)

Abstract

In order to contribute to the ecology of Sphyrion laevigatum (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) in Genypterus blacodes (Schneider, 1801) the possible existence of a spatial pattern was studied, being it possible to be random, uniform or aggregate for this parasite copepod. The research was carried out at the Jumbo Supermarket, Pinto Fair and Mercado Central, Temuco, IX Region, Chile (38 ° 44'24 "S, 72 ° 35'24" W) during the months of June and July of 2012. To determine the distribution of the parasite copepod S. laevigatum was observed to the body surface of 209 G. blacodes establishing the amount of parasites per fish, and with these data the variance / average relation was obtained. The results showed presence of the parasite in the area, but this was low in the study period, reaching only 18% of the total positive sample to S. laevigatum. The minimum number of this parasite copepod found in G. blacodes was 1 and the maximum number was 2.