DIONCHUS POSTONCOMIRACIDIA (MONOGENEA: DIONCHIDAE) FROM THE SKIN OF BLACKTIP SHARKS, CARCHARHINUS LIMBATUS (CARCHARHINIDAE)

Postoncomiracidia of Dionchus sp. are described from specimens collected from the skin of 2 blacktip sharks Carcharhinus limbatus, captured in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The parasites resemble nonciliated oncomiracidia hatched from eggs laid by Dionchus sp. on gills of a cobia Rachycentron canadum and adults of Dionchus remorae that were collected from gills of a common sharksucker Echeneis naucrates, captured in association with a third blacktip shark. The hamuli of the postoncomiracidia were morphologically similar to those of adult D. remorae. This is the first report of dionchids from an elasmobranch and from a location other than the gills. These findings support the idea that some dionchid oncomiracidia colonize the skin of sharks or other aquatic vertebrates that sponsor remoras, prior to transferring to other remoras and maturing.