Polystomoides bourgati (Monogenea: Polystomatidae) infecting Pelusios castaneus in southern Nigeria

Abstract

Pelusios spp. procured from four locations in southern Nigeria were investigated for polystomatid infection. None of the P. niger examined haboured monogeneans. Pelusios castaneus from Sapele, Ossisa and Abeokuta were infected with P. bourgati in the urinary bladder. The morphometrics of the parasites from the infected Nigerian terrapins were in the same range as those previously described from Togo and Senegal, except that the Senegalese specimens were slightly smaller with respect to the body size. While the testes of the specimens recovered from Ossisa and Abeokuta were ovoid to round in shape, those in parasites recovered from turtles purchased from Sapele were lobed and laterally elongated. Two of the parasite specimens recovered from turtles purchased in Ossisa had seven haptoral suckers. This is the first report of such an occurrence among polystomes.

Key words: Pelusios castaneus, P. niger, Polystomoides bourgati, Nigeria.