Endohelminths of some species of fishes from Lake Xochimilco, Mexico

Research reveals that the helminth fauna of freshwater fishes in Lake Xochimilco, Mexico, is notably limited compared to other water bodies in Central Mexico. The study identified five helminth species across eight introduced and one native fish species, including a tapeworm (Schyzocotyle acheilognathi) recorded for the first time in Pseudoxiphophorus jonesii, and metacercariae of Posthodiplostomum minimum and Tylodelphys aztecae, which exhibited the highest prevalence. The goodeid G. atripinnis displayed the richest helminth fauna among the analyzed species. The study hypothesizes that this low diversity may stem from the lake's biotic and abiotic conditions, influenced by pollution, or the relatively recent introduction of fish species, limiting the establishment of additional helminths.

García-López, M. L., Salguero-Vargas, G., Garcia-Prieto, L., Osorio-Sarabia, D., & Pérez-Ponce de León, G. (2016). Endohelminths of some species of fishes from Lake Xochimilco, Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 87(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmb.2016.06.018