INDEXED IN 

International Journal of Modern Science and Technology

​​​​​​​January 2019, Vol. 4, No 1, pp 19-25. 

​​​Helminth Parasites of Bagrus filamentosus from Lower River Benue, Nigeria

S. Ocholi  Oyigene*՚¹, I. Alabi Korede¹՚²
¹Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Federal University of Agriculture. Makurdi, Nigeria.
²Department of Agricultural Extension and Management, Federal College of Forestry, Jos, Nigeria.
​​​*Corresponding author’s e-mail: talk2ocholioyigene@gmail.com

​Abstract

​The present study was designed to investigate the possible Helminth parasites of Bagrus filamentosus in Lower River, Nigeria. Eighty (80) Bagrus filamentosus (39 Males, 41 Females) were evaluated for this study.  Examination of the fish species revealed that, they were infected with three helminth parasites species: Diphillobothrum latum, Camalanus and Eustrongyllus species. Of the 80 Bagrus filamentosus examined, 17(21.3%) were not infected by any helminthes parasite while 63 (38.7%) were infected and observed to harbour  a total number of 163 parasites each belonging to one species of Cestode (Diphillobothrium latum) and two species Nematode (Camalanus and Eustrongyllus species). Diphillobothrium latum, 63 (38.7%) was found to be the most abundant species, while Camalanus species 39 (23.9%) had the least. Among the body parts examined, stomach and intestine harboured the observed parasites. The results of parasitic prevalence of Bagrus filamentosus in relation to Sex also showed that the females had the highest percentage parasite load of 96 (59.51%) while the male recorded the least 67 (41.10%). Percentage infestation followed the same trend as 47.5% for female and 31.25% for male. Fish with smaller body weight haboured more parasites than those with larger body weight while parasitic prevalence was also observed to be high for the studied specie.

Keywords: Helminthes; Bagrus filamentosus; Cestode; Nematode.

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