Ecological, morphological and pathological aspects of parasitism tricodinídeos in tadpoles of bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus, Shaw, 1802)

Abstract

The production of tadpoles is a critical step in the intensive frog culture, for if performed correctly will ensure satisfactory performance in the subsequent phases of imago and fattening. Parasitic diseases may cause losses in productivity due to injuries, often irreversible and facilitate the installation of opportunistic agents that lead the host to death. Among the parasites that cause disease in tadpoles are the tricodinídeos. The objective of this work is to study the ecology, taxonomy and pathology of tricodinídeos that cause huge losses in global aquaculture, and to evaluate the limnological variables of girinagem tanks. Tadpoles (n = 50 per frog culture) will be collected in three commercial ranicultures and will be carried live on plastic packaging to the Aquatic Organisms Pathology Laboratory. The tricodinídeos found are quantized and strip containing the parasites, they will be impregnated with silver nitrate and 2% Giemsa-stained. The morphometry of the parasites will be held with the help of software Image Pro Plus® (Media Cybernetics, Inc., Rockville, United States) while the morphology is described from vectorized schematic drawings produced with CorelDRAW® X6 software (Corel Corporation, Ottawa , Canada). Integument samples from the animals will be collected and used for making histological slides and analysis of scanning electron microscopy for further evaluation of existing lesions and morphological appearance of the parasite. It is hoped that this work to determine the parasite / host relationship in tadpoles of bullfrogs and establish protocols to prevent this parasite. (AU)