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Objective. To evidence of the presence of two species of monogeneans of the genus Cichlidogyrus that cause damage to gill tissue, in tilapia Oreochromis spp. grown in Ecuador. Materials and methods. The gills were placed in a Petri dish, boiling water was added to it so that the parasites relax, and later they were fixed in 4% formalin. The samples were checked under a stereoscope microscope. The parasites were counted and preserved in 70% ethanol for their taxonomic identification according to their morphological characteristics. The infection parameters (prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity) were calculated for each species of parasite. For the description of histological damage, fragments of parasitized gills were fixed in 10% neutral formalin and processed by the histological paraffin embedding technique. Results. Cichlidogyrus sclerosus showed highest infection parameters, prevalence of 65%, mean abundance of 24.24 ± 68.62 and mean intensity of 37.62 ± 82.93. Cychlidogyrus dossoui was observed in a prevalence of 4.5%, mean abundance of 0.13 ± 0.66 and mean intensity of 3 ± 1.41. Both species caused hyperplasia in lamellae. Conclusions. This study constitutes the first report of infestation by Cichlidogyrus sclerosus and C. dossoui in tilapia culture systems of Ecuador., Objetivo. Evidenciar la presencia de dos especies de monogeneos del género Cichlidogyrus que causan daño al tejido de las branquias, en tilapias (Oreochromis spp.) cultivadas en Ecuador. Materiales y métodos. Las branquias se colocaron en una caja Petri, se le adicionó agua a punto de ebullición para que los parásitos se relajen, y posteriormente se fijaron en formalina al 4%. Las muestras fueron revisadas en un microscopio estereoscopio. Los parásitos fueron contados y preservados en etanol al 70% para su identificación taxonómica según sus características morfológicas. Los parámetros de infección (prevalencia, abundancia e intensidad medias) fueron calculados para cada especie de parásito. Para la descripción de daños histológicos, fragmentos de branquias parasitadas fueron fijados en formalina neutra al 10% y procesado mediante la técnica histológica de inclusión en parafina. Resultados. Cichlidogyrus sclerosus mostró los parámetros de infección más altos, prevalencia de 65%, abundancia media de 24.24 ± 68.62 e intensidad media de 37.62 ± 82.93. Cychlidogyrus dossoui fue observada en una prevalencia de 4.5%, abundancia media de 0.13 ± 0.66 e intensidad media de 3 ± 1.41. Las dos especies causaron hiperplasia en las lamelas. Conclusiones. Este estudio constituye el primer reporte de infestación por Cichlidogyrus sclerosus y C. dossoui en sistemas de cultivos de tilapias del Ecuador.

Detection of plastic debris degrading into micro particles across all oceanic environments and inside of marine organisms is no longer surprising news. Microplastic contamination now appears as one of the world's environmental main concerns. To determine the levels of microplastic pollution at sea, water samples were collected across a 4000 km-trajectory in the Tropical Eastern Pacific and the Galápagos archipelago, covering an area of 453,000 square kilometres. Furthermore, 240 specimens of 16 different species of fish, squid, and shrimp, all of human consumption, were collected along the continental coast. Microplastic particles were found in 100% of the water samples and marine organisms. Microplastic particles ranging from 150 to 500 µm in size were the most predominant. This is one of the first reports simultaneously detecting and quantifying microplastic particles abundance and their impact on marine organisms of this region.