Rev. biol. mar. oceanogr. 48(3): 647-651

Nota Científica

Primer registro en Chile de diciémidos simbiontes en el pulpo pigmeo Robsonella fontaniana (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae)

Gabriela Muñoz¹, Sebastián Rodríguez¹, Rosa Guerra² y Chita Guisado¹

¹Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Valparaíso, Avenida Borgoño 16344, Reñaca, Viña del Mar, Chile

²Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Gran Bretaña 1111, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile

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Dicyemids are commensals or parasites which live in the renal organs of benthic cephalopods. This study reports the presence of a dicyemid species in the kidney of the small octopus Robsonella fontaniana collected in the southern Pacific Ocean on the central coast of Chile. Smeared renal tissues on glass slides and histological sections were prepared for microscopical observation. All host octopuses observed (n= 7) had dicyemids in the renal tissues. The dicyemids were Dicyemennea characterized by calottes composed of 4 propolar cells and 5 metapolar cells. This is the first record of dicyemids in Chile and also in R. fontaniana.

Key words:  Cephalopod, dicyemids, mesozoa, Dicyemennea