Abstract

The pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) caught in the Yucatan coast is usually commercialized in local markets for human consumption. It is also a dominant component of the fish assemblages along the coastal systems of Yucatan, and recently it has been registered as a new host for the parasitic isopod Cymothoa excisa. From 448 collected fishes, 28 were infested with at least one isopod, frequently an adult female. There is a significant relationship between the host and parasites total length; also, significant differences were found in the condition factor between parasitized and non-parasitized fishes. Parasitized fishes reach similar lengths to the ones of non-parasitized individuals, though the presence of the isopod affects negatively the weight of their hosts.