Parasites of oceanic sunfish Mola mola (Pisces: Molidae). First record in waters from south-central Chile coast

Abstract

In this study, we report parasitological findings in one Mola mola specimen examined and collected as by catch-off Tomé, south central Chile, during october 2014. Adult stages of digeneans, Accacladium serpentulum and Accacladocoelium macrocotyle, cestode Anchistrocephalus microcephalus, and copepod Cecrops latreillii were isolated. Besides, at the larval stage, the third larval stage (L3) of nematode Anisakis sp. Type I, sensu Berland, 1961, and plerocerci larvae of cestode Molicola horridus were also observed. The results demonstrated the participation of M. mola as a definitive and intermediate or paratenic host in the life cycles of different parasites identified in the present study.