Infection levels and seasonality of monogeneans in the largemouth bassMicropterus salmoides(Perciformes: Centrarchidae) from Nuevo León, Mexico

Largemouth bass,Micropterus salmoides, is a native fish species with special importance for sport fishing competitions in Nuevo León, Mexico. However, no study has investigated the parasitic fauna ofM. salmoides, and no reports are available on monogenean parasites in this fish species. Therefore, we described the monogenean parasites ofM. salmoidesand the effects of season and fish condition factor in five reservoirs: La Boca (LB), El Cuchillo–Solidaridad (CS), Sombreretillo (S), Laguna Salinillas (LS) and Cerro Prieto (CP). The monogeneans infectingM. salmoideswereClavunculus unguisandAcolpenteron ureteroecetes(collected in all localities), as well asSyncleithrium fusiformis,Haplocleidus furcatus,Clavunculus bifurcatusandUrocleidus principalis(CS).Clavunculus unguishad the highest prevalence in fish from all reservoirs. The abundance of monogeneans was generally greater in late spring to autumn than in winter. Although season was not correlated with abundance (rs= 0.0934,PPA. ureteroecetes. Our findings include five new geographic records forC. unguis,S. fusiformis,H. furcatusandC. bifurcatus.