Paratenic and definitive hosts of Diplopylidium triseriale from a southern Nigeria rainforest biotope

Abstract

The anuran paratenic and mammalian definitive hosts of Diplopylidium triseriale, a cestode parasite of mammalian carnivores were investigated in a rainforest biotope in Edo State, southern Nigeria. Of the 15 anuran species examined, three, including Sclerophrys maculata (formerly, Amietophrynus maculatus), Phrynobatrachus calcaratus and Ptychadena mascareniensis harboured cysticercoids of the parasite. Cysts harbouring the cysticercoids were found on the liver in P. calcaratus, but were attached to the intestinal mesentery in S. maculata and Pty. mascareniensis. Prevalence in P. calcaratus was 27.3%, S. maculata, 8.3% and 10% in Pty. mascareniensis, but the highest infection intensity (69 cysticercoids/infected host) was recorded in P. mascareniensis, which is a new anuran paratenic host record for D. triseriale. Nigeria represents a new locality record for the parasite. Civetticus civetta was found to be the definitive host of D. triseriale and an undescribed Joyeuxiella sp. in the study area. It is presumed that C. civetta acquires infection with D. triseriale by consuming the infected anurans. Alternatively, infection may also occur following the consumption of reptilian hosts, which acquired infection from consuming infected anurans.

Keywords:  Diplopylidium triseriale; Joyeuxiella sp.; anurans; Civeticus civetta; Nigeria