Prevalence of Haematoloechus pulcher metacercariae (Digenea:Plagiorchioidea) in the crayfish Cambarellus montezumae in SalazarLagoon, Estado de México

Abstract

Crayfish can be intermediate hosts of larval digeneans. Cambarellus montezumae is a crustacean endemic of the Mexican plateau and is part ofthe diet of the inhabitants of Lerma; nonetheless, this municipality lacks parasitological studies on the species of hosts. This work is an analysis of13 samples collected monthly proceeding from the lakeshore. Two hundred and twenty one crayfish were examined externally and internally. Themetacercariae number per crayfish and per anatomical unit was registered. The prevalence, intensity and abundance were recorded each month.Ninety four crayfish were parasitized by metacercariae encysted mainly in the gills. The highest prevalence was observed in March, May and June.In spite of the slight difference in abundance between females (2.6) and males (2.4), there was no significant difference (U-Mann–Whitney test). Thehighest parasite burden was 26, with an average of 6 metacercariae per crayfish. In addition, all specimens with a size larger than 14 mm presentedmetacercariae, the only larval stage detected. C. montezumae could be considered a second intermediate host of the digenean Haematoloechuspulcher in the Salazar Lake in Mexico due to the prevalence and presence of this parasite throughout the year.