Changes in parasite−chaetognath species assemblages in the Mexican Central Pacific before and during El Niño 1997−1998

We investigated the seasonal and interannual changes in diversity, abundance, and prevalence of chaetognaths and their parasites collected monthly during 1996−1998 in the Mexican Central Pacific. We tested the hypothesis of a positive relationship between abundance and species richness of chaetognaths and their parasites, and investigated the influence of the 1997− 1998 El Niño event on this host−parasite interaction. Of the 9 chaetognath species collected in the present study, only 7 were found to be parasitized. Of 78 154 chaetognath specimens collected, 790 were parasitized (1 % prevalence) with at least 1 type of epibiont (cysts, perhaps protists) and 6 types of endoparasites: protists (apicomplexans, dinoflagellates, and ciliates), digeneans, cestodes, acanthocephalans, nematodes, and other unidentified endoparasites. Cysts, digeneans, and cestodes were the most abundant parasites. Mean intensity ranged from 1−4 endoparasites and from 1−21 epibionts host⁻¹. Zonosagitta bedoti and Flaccisagitta enflata were the most abundant chaetognath species and had the highest parasite diversity. Mesosagitta minima and Parasagitta euneritica had the highest parasite prevalence (> 2 %). A 2-way cluster analysis defined sampling month groups as before, during, and after the 1997−1998 El Niño. The highest abundances of chaetognaths and parasites were associated with a high thermal stratification index, salinity, and mixed layer depth. We conclude that there is a positive, non-linear correlation between the abundance of chaetognaths and their parasites. Although El Niño decreased the abundance and diversity of chaetognaths throughout the time series, the abundance and diversity of their parasites were not significantly different among hydro-climatic periods, suggesting that host abundance must decrease orders of magnitude to influence host availability for parasites.