Use of a negative binomial distribution to describe the presence of Trifur tortuosus Wilson, 1917 in Merluccius gayi gayi (Guichenot, 1848).

Abstract

This paper describes the frequency and number ofTrifur tortuosusWilson, 1917in the skin ofMerluccius gayi gayi(Guichenot, 1848), an important economic resource in Chile. The analysis of a spatial distribution model indicated that the parasites tended to cluster. Variations in the number of parasites per host could be described by a negative binomial distribution. The maximum number of parasites observed per host was one, similar patterns was described for other parasites in Chilean marine fishes