Community ecology of the metazoan parasites of the Atlantic anchoveta, Cetengraulis edentulus (Actinopterygii: Engraulidae) from the Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Atlantic anchoveta, Cetengraulis edentulus (Cuvier, 1829) is one of the most commercially important fish species in littoral Brazil. present study evaluates parasitic fauna this engraulid from southeastern Brazilian coast. Between October 2019 and March 2020, a total 100 specimens C. Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (22°57’44”S; 43°52’28”W), were examined. Eighty-five parasitized by at least metazoan, with mean 4.32 ± 6.12 parasites/fish. Eleven parasites collected: five digeneans, two monogeneans, copepods, isopod nematode. nematode Hysterothylacium sp. was abundant dominant species, representing 51.85% metazoan collected, showing positive correlation host’s length parasite abundance prevalence. prevalence significantly higher female hosts. One pair larval endoparasites showed covariation. Centengraulis represents new host record for nine parasites. A dominance endoparasitic stages documented community edentulus. This may be function feeding habits fish, which feed mainly on zooplanktonic organisms. It also have to do fact that intermediate and/or paratenic parasites, birds, marine mammals.