Pattern of parasitic infections in anurans from a mangrove community of the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

Helminth parasites of anurans from Ijala Ikeren, a mangrove-contiguous community, in the Niger Delta of Nigeria were investigated. A total of 76 anurans belonging to 4 families, 5 genera and 9 species were examined and they include Afrixalus dorsalis, A. fulvovittatus, Amietophrynus maculatus, Hyperolius concolor phase B, H. concolor, phase C, H. fusciventris burtoni, H. guttulatus, Hoplobatrachus occipitalis, Ptychadena bibroni and P. oxyrynchus. A total of 13 helminth parasites were recovered, with an overall prevalence of 56.6%. Prevalence of cestode parasites was 9.21%, trematodes, 18.42% and nematodes, 28.96%. The cestodes recovered were Baerietta jaegerskioeldi and a larval proteocephalid; trematodes included Haematoloechus exoterorchis, Mesocoelium cameroonensis and M. monodi, while the nematodes included Chabaudus leberrei, Cosmocerca ornata, larval Physaloptera, Rhabdias africanus, Rhabdias sp., two larval ascaridoids (one encysted in the body cavity and the other in the mucosa of stomach) and an unidentified intestinal nematode. The mean intensity of infection was generally low except for Mesocoelium spp. (M. cameroonensis and M. monodi) where an over-dispersion was observed. The encysted ascaridoid larvae recovered from the stomach of Ptychadena oxyrynchus represents a new species and is an addition to the group of nematodes that use anurans as transport hosts. In conclusion, the mangrove environment at Ijala-Ikeren sustains a low diversity of amphibians which habour a low number of parasite species, whose low intensity of infection may be attributable to the parasite-hostile nature of the habitat.

Keywords: anurans, mangrove, helminth parasites, Niger Delta, Nigeria