PARASITOFAUNA OF FIVE FRESHWATER FISHES IN A NIGERIAN FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM

• DOI: 10.14798/72.1.682
• Publication Date: 2014-04-01T13:55:53Z
• Authors: Vincent Chikwendu...; Oscar Ifeanyi Aguzie; Njoku Ivoke; Felicia Nkechi Ekeh; Ngozi Evelyn Ezen...; Uwakwe Simon Onoja; Joseph Effiong Eyo
• Keywords: Clarias; Acanthocephala; Characiformes; Digenea; Capillaria; Perciformes

The parasitic fauna of freshwater fishes the Warri River, Delta State, Nigeria, with reference to their prevalence, intensity and differences in metazoan parasites between fish sexes, was investigated. A total 85 samples comprising 21 Tilapia zillii (Cichlidae: Perciformes), 23 Synodontis clarias (Mochokidae: Siluriformes), Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (Claroteidae: 16 Hepsetus odoe (Hepsetidae: Characiformes) 2 Clarias anguillaris (Clariidae: Siluriformes) collected from were subjected parasitological examination. overall parasite prevalence 32.9%. recovered mainly acanthocephalans: Neoechinorhynchus prolixum , Pomphorhynchus spp., Acanthocephalus spp. unidentified acanthocephalan, nematodes: Camallanus polypteri, Capillaria pterophylli, C. cichlasomae, Procamallanus laeviconchus, Philometroides africanus Railletnema synodontis. Although acanthocephalans constituted 75.6% nematodes 22.2% recovered, had highest (23.5%) compared (9.4%). Similarly, variable prevalences observed for other taxa namely trematoda; Clinostomum complanatum (1.2%), Leech; Pisciola geometra (2.4%) Crustaceans (1.2%). (39.1%) S. clarias, while least (23.8%) T. . Generally, higher female (35.7%) than males (31.6%), although statistically no significant difference by sex (X = 0.145, P 0.807). relatively high inhabiting River may be attributed level pollution.