Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Ascaridoid Parasites of Philippine Decapterus Species

Tres Tinna M Dela Cruz; Kennesa Klariz R Llanes; Joliesa Mae S Toledo; Junard A Catabay; Raffy Jay C Fornillos; Ian Kendrich C Fontanilla; Vachel Gay V Paller

doi:10.2478/jofnem-2022-0030

Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Ascaridoid Parasites of Philippine Decapterus Species

J Nematol. 2022 Aug 14;54(1):20220030. doi: 10.2478/jofnem-2022-0030. eCollection 2022 Feb.

Authors

Tres Tinna M Dela Cruz^{1

2}, Kennesa Klariz R Llanes¹, Joliesa Mae S Toledo^{1

3}, Junard A Catabay^{1

4}, Raffy Jay C Fornillos⁵, Ian Kendrich C Fontanilla⁵, Vachel Gay V Paller¹

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Pedro R. Sandoval Avenue, Los Baños, Laguna 4031, Philippines.
² Science Department, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Mindanao State University-General Santos, General Santos City, South Cotabato 9500, Philippines.
³ Biology Department, College of Arts and Sciences, Central Mindanao University, Musuan, Maramag, Bukidnon 8714, Philippines.
⁴ Institute of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Bataan Peninsula State University-Orani Campus, Bataan 2112, Philippines.
⁵ Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, 1101, Philippines.

Abstract

There are relatively few studies on parasite fauna of marine fishes in Philippine waters. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of marine ascaridoid infection in Decapterus species in Balayan Bay and Tayabas Bay. A total of 371 fishes belonging to three different species of Decapterus (D. tabl [n = 130], D. macrosoma [n = 121], and D. maruadsi [n = 120]) were collected. Ascaridoid parasite larvae were found in all fish host species, with an overall fish infection rate of 22%. The highest infection rate was observed in D. tabl (27.69%), followed by D. macrosoma (19%), and then D. maruadsi (17.50%). Moreover, a higher prevalence of infection was detected in Tayabas Bay (27.57%) than in Balayan Bay (15.59%). Molecular analyses based on the ITS2 and 18S rRNA gene supported the identification of the larvae into two species: Anisakis typica and Raphidascaris (Ichthyascaris) lophii. This is the first report of the genetic identification of these two helminth parasites in Decapterus fish species in the Philippines. Paucity in the database of Philippine marine fish parasites warrants more research efforts, especially concerning economically important fish species with implications to food safety and food security.

Keywords: Anisakis typica; Decapterus; Raphidascaris (Ichthyascaris) lophii; host–parasite relationship; molecular characterization.

Grants and funding

This work was a core-funded study with support from the Parasitology Research Laboratory of the Animal Biology Division of the Institute of Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), and the DNA Barcoding Laboratory, Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines Diliman.