Dicyemid mesozoans are endoparasites inhabited in benthic cephalopod molluscs. Previous studies of dicyemids were mostly concentrated on their taxonomy. The life cycle remains a mystery since Cavolini observed this animal in 1787. The purpose of this study is to investigate further on the dicyemid life cycle building on the limited knowledge from previous studies, and investigate the infection of dicyemid in octopuses in tropical waters, using the area in the southwestern Taiwan as a model. A total of 324 octopus hosts was collected¡Aincluding 3 genera and 13 species from DungGang Fish Market from 2001 to 2002. There were 9 host species detected with dicyemid mesozoans including 14 species within 2 genera. Moreover, there is no dicyemid species overlap among the octopus species indicating high host-specificity. There is large range of the dicyemid infection prevalence among octopod hosts. Cistopis indicus has the highest prevalence (91%) and Octopus luteus the lowest (20%) in this study. In C. indicus, the infected mechanism correlated with season. The infusoriform larvae of dicyemid mesozoan dispersal from the host to sea water in the autumn and winter, then entering host in the spring and summer. The change of dicyemid life cycle stage in the C. indicus kidney correlates with the sharp decrease of infection intensity. However, the dicyemid infection in Octopus marginatus correlates with body size, not with season. Besides, there is significant difference of dicyemid development between two kidneys of the same individual, both in the analysis of C. indicus and O. marginatus. It indicates the separated way of dicyemid infection into two sides of kidneys.

A distribuição horizontal e vertical das larvas de peixes mesopelágicos de Phosichthyidae foi descrita a partir de dados amostrados desde a superfície até 200 m de profundidade, e em 5 estratos na coluna de água. As coletas foram realizadas no verão e inverno de 2002, em radiais perpendiculares à costa Sudeste do Brasil, entre o cabo de São Tomé (RJ) e a ilha de São Sebastião (SP). A abundância das larvas (larvas.m²) foi estimada para o material amostrado pela rede Bongô (333 cm) e a densidade (larvas.m³) para a Multi Plankton Sampler (300 cm). No total foram coletadas 538 larvas de Phosichthyidae no verão e 146 no inverno. Duas espécies foram identificadas, Pollichthys mauli e Vinciguerria nimbaria, ambas apresentaram-se distribuídas, preferencialmente, na região oceânica da área de estudo com maiores densidades entre 60 e 80 m de profundidade, onde a temperatura e a salinidade foram superiores a 20°C e 36, respectivamente, estando diretamente relacionados à massa de Água Tropical, transportada pela Corrente do Brasil. Todas as fases de desenvolvimento larval foram capturadas, entretanto, a maioria das larvas estava em pós-flexão da notocorda. Em relação à variação diária, as larvas foram mais abundantes durante a noite. / Horizontal and vertical distribution of mesopelagic Phosichthyidae fish larvae was described based on data sampled collected from the surface up to 200 m depth, and at five stratums on the water column. The sampling was performed in summer and winter, 2002, on perpendiculars transects in southeastern Brazilian Bight, between São Tomé Cape (RJ) and São Sebastião Island (SP). The abundance of larval (larvae.m²) was estimated from sample of Bongo net (333 cm) and the density (larvae.m³) from sample of Multi Plankton Sampler (300 cm). A total of 538 larvae of Phosichthyidae was collected during summer, and 146 in the winter. Two species, Pollichthys mauli and Vinciguerria nimbaria, were identified; both were mainly distributed in the oceanic region of the study area and were more abundant between 60 and 80 m depth, where temperature and salinity were higher than 20°C and 36, respectively, which are directly related with the Tropical Water mass, transported by Brazil Current. All larval stages of development were caught, however, the majority was in postflexion stage. In relation to diel variation, larvae were more abundant during the night.

A distribuição horizontal e vertical das larvas de peixes mesopelágicos de Phosichthyidae foi descrita a partir de dados amostrados desde a superfície até 200 m de profundidade, e em 5 estratos na coluna de água. As coletas foram realizadas no verão e inverno de 2002, em radiais perpendiculares à costa Sudeste do Brasil, entre o cabo de São Tomé (RJ) e a ilha de São Sebastião (SP). A abundância das larvas (larvas.m²) foi estimada para o material amostrado pela rede Bongô (333 cm) e a densidade (larvas.m³) para a Multi Plankton Sampler (300 cm). No total foram coletadas 538 larvas de Phosichthyidae no verão e 146 no inverno. Duas espécies foram identificadas, Pollichthys mauli e Vinciguerria nimbaria, ambas apresentaram-se distribuídas, preferencialmente, na região oceânica da área de estudo com maiores densidades entre 60 e 80 m de profundidade, onde a temperatura e a salinidade foram superiores a 20°C e 36, respectivamente, estando diretamente relacionados à massa de Água Tropical, transportada pela Corrente do Brasil. Todas as fases de desenvolvimento larval foram capturadas, entretanto, a maioria das larvas estava em pós-flexão da notocorda. Em relação à variação diária, as larvas foram mais abundantes durante a noite. / Horizontal and vertical distribution of mesopelagic Phosichthyidae fish larvae was described based on data sampled collected from the surface up to 200 m depth, and at five stratums on the water column. The sampling was performed in summer and winter, 2002, on perpendiculars transects in southeastern Brazilian Bight, between São Tomé Cape (RJ) and São Sebastião Island (SP). The abundance of larval (larvae.m²) was estimated from sample of Bongo net (333 cm) and the density (larvae.m³) from sample of Multi Plankton Sampler (300 cm). A total of 538 larvae of Phosichthyidae was collected during summer, and 146 in the winter. Two species, Pollichthys mauli and Vinciguerria nimbaria, were identified; both were mainly distributed in the oceanic region of the study area and were more abundant between 60 and 80 m depth, where temperature and salinity were higher than 20°C and 36, respectively, which are directly related with the Tropical Water mass, transported by Brazil Current. All larval stages of development were caught, however, the majority was in postflexion stage. In relation to diel variation, larvae were more abundant during the night.