Parasites (Monogenoidea, Cestoda, Nematoda) Of The Banded Pygmy Sunfish, Elassoma Zonatum Jordan (Perciformes: Elassomatidae), From Arkansas And Oklahoma, Usa

Between January 2013 and September 2016, 14 juvenile and adult Banded Pygmy Sunfish, Elassoma zonatum Jordan, were collected in southwestern Arkansas (n = 13) and southeastern Oklahoma (n = 1) and examined for parasites. Five (36%) were infected, including 3 (21%) harboring the monogenean, Gyrodactylus hetemdactylus Rogers and Wellborn, 2 (14%) with Proteocephalus sp. plerocercoids, and 5 (36%) with larval nematodes, Spimxys sp. We document a new host as well as a new geographic distributional record for parasites of E. zonatum.