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Gyrodactylid population growth may depend on abiotic variables such as temperature. We tested the survival and reproductive rate of Gyrodactylus mexicanus, a parasite infecting fins of Girardinichthys multiradiatus, at 3 different water temperatures, 10-13, 19-22, and 24 C. The temporal sequence of birth and age at death of each parasite isolated from the hosts was recorded through at least 8 generations. Our results showed that the average number of offspring per parasite was 2.0 when averaged across all temperatures. However, the generation time was negatively correlated with temperature. The innate capacity for increase (r(m)) was positively correlated with water temperature: from 0.29 parasite/day at 13 C to 0.48 parasite/day at 24 C. These data confirm that water temperature has a direct influence on parasite population dynamics. The current study represents the first contribution to understanding the population ecology of the monogenean G. mexicanus in central Mexico.

One previously described species, Haliotrema striatohamus Zhukov, 1981, found off the coast of Cuba and Campeche (Gulf of Mexico), is redescribed and transferred to Haliotrematoides Kritsky, Yang and Sun, 2009, as Haliotrematoides striatohamus ( Zhukov, 1981) n. comb. This transfer is based on the study of new specimens of this species found in the gill lamellae of grunts, i.e., Haemulon aurolineatum Cuvier, Haemulon plumierii (Lacepède), and Haemulon sciurus (Shaw) (Haemulidae), all from the southern coast of Quintana Roo, Mexico. In addition, another previously described species, Haliotrema brevispirocirrus Zhukov, 1981 from Haemulon striatum (Linnaeus) from Havana, Cuba, is also transferred to Haliotrematoides based on the comparative morphology of its original description. Data are provided for prevalence and mean intensity as well as for the morphologic and biometric variability of H. striatohamus from different hosts. The new replacement of H. striatohamus ( Zhukov, 1981) n. comb. and H. brevispirocirrus (Zhukov, 1981) n. comb. infecting these taxa represents the first known species of Haliotrematoides on these fishes and new geographical records for these dactylogyrid monogenoids.