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Objective. To identify the abundance and prevalence in infection by digestive parasites (DPs) and their seasonal distribution in dogs from Aguascalientes, Mexico. Materials and Methods. A statistically representative sample (n=927) systematically selected (first in each 10), of stray or owners-surrendered dogs at a local animal control and welfare center was examined. Immediately after legal euthanasia (pre-anesthetic plus anesthetic overdose), the entire intestine was removed, and intestinal contents were sieved; macroscopically visible helminths were collected; a stool sample was then examined in duplicate by flotation, McMaster, and Lugol's-stained smear. Results. The prevalence of DPs was 42.8%. Elevated prevalence values were detected among puppies (60.6%), in dogs with lower body weight (72.7%), also in stray dogs (57.5%) compared with those voluntarily surrendered by their owners (37.5%; p<0.01); additionally, more cases were found during temperate seasons (51.0 vs 33.1%; p<0.01). The DPs prevalence values were determined: Dipylidium caninum (26.2%), Taenia spp. (4.0%), Giardia spp. (13.6%), Cystoisospora spp. (7.8%), Sarcocystis spp. (5.3%); Toxocara canis (14.0%), Ancylostoma caninum (12.9%), Uncinaria stenocephala (4.2%), Toxascaris leonina (0.5%), and Oncicola canis (0.1%). The DPs reached a high prevalence with hundreds of adult forms in the intestine and thousands of eggs or oocysts per gram of feces. Conclusions. These results indicated a high prevalence of DPs in dogs of central Mexico, especially in the population segment constituted by stray, young and underweight animals, which is relevant in public health due to its recognized zoonotic capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporal variation of the helminth infracommunity structure in the Gafftopsail pompano Trachinotus rhodopus was studied during bi-monthly revisions of samples collected offshore from Puerto Ángel, Oaxaca (Mexican Pacific) in 2018. In total, 110 specimens of T. rhodopus were subjected to a parasitic review. Helminths found were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level (six species and three genera) by means of morphological and molecular data. Attributes of the helminth infracommunities are described through statistical analyses, showing stability in terms of their richness throughout the year. However, variations were found in helminth abundance related to the seasonality of samplings, which may be associated with the life cycles of the parasites, the host species' gregarious behavior, the availability of intermediate hosts, and/or the diet of T. rhodopus. [Display omitted] • Trachinothutus rhodopus helminth infracommunities are characterized as being depauperated • The taxonomic composition of the infracommunities throughout the year is stable. • The number of helminth individuals fluctuated over time along the samplings. • The ingestion of preys is the main way of structuring the helminth infracommunities of the fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moniliformis ibunami n. sp., is described from the intestine of the transvolcanic deermouse Peromyscus hylocetes Merriam 1898 (Cricetidae) from Parque Nacional Nevado de Colima "El Floripondio", Jalisco, Mexico. The new species can be distinguished morphologically from the other 18 congeneric species of Moniliformis by a combination of morphological and molecular characters including the number of hooks on the proboscis (12 longitudinal rows, each one with six to eight transversally arranged unrooted hooks), the proboscis length (230–270 μm), the female trunk length (159–186 mm) and egg size (40–70 × 20–40). For molecular distinction, nearly complete sequences of the small subunit (SSU) and large subunit (LSU) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox 1) of the mitochondrial DNA of the new species were obtained and compared with available sequences downloaded from GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses inferred with the three molecular markers consistently showed that Moniliformis ibunami n. sp. is sister to other congeneric species of Moniliformis. The genetic distance with cox 1 gene among Moniliformis ibunami n. sp., M. saudi , M. cryptosaudi, M. kalahariensis, M. necromysi and M. moniliformis ranged from 20 to 27%. Morphological evidence and high genetic distance, plus the phylogenetic analyses, indicate that acanthocephalans collected from the intestines of transvolcanic deer mice represent a new species which constitutes the seventh species of the genus Moniliformis in the Americas. • A new species of Moniliformis (M. ibunami n. sp.) is described from Peromyscus hylocetes (Rodentia: Cricetidae) in Mexico • The new species is diagnosed through morphological and molecular characters • Moniliformis ibunami n. sp. is the nineteenth species of the genus worldwide • Phylogenetic analyzes (LSU, SSU and cox 1 genes) support the identification of M. ibunami as new species within Moniliformis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]