Cestode infections of two clariid and two claroteid catfish species in River Galma, Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

Four catfish (Siluriformes) species comprising two clariids, Heterobranchus bidorsalis (65) and Heterobranchus longifilis (15) and two claroteids, Auchenoglanis occidentalis (31) and Chrysichthys auratus (19) from River Galma Zaria, Nigeria, were examined for gastrointestinal cestodes between May 2016 and February 2017. Helminths recovered were stained, dehydrated, cleared and mounted in Canada balsam for microscopic examination. A total of seven cestode species were recovered from the clariids and claroteids. The cestodes were distributed among the fish examined as follows: in C. auratus: Wenyonia longicauda (26.32%), W. virilis (10.53%), and W. minuta (5.26%); in H. bidorsalis: W. acuminata (3.08%), W. virilis (18.46%), Monobothrioides woodlandi (6.15%), Proteocephalus sp. (1.54%) and Tetracampos ciliotheca (4.62%); in H. longifilis: M. woodlandi (6.67%), W. longicauda (6.67%) and W. acuminata (6.67%). Prevalence of cestode infection in C. auratus was higher in the wet than in the dry season; however, prevalence of infection in H. longifilis and H. bidorsalis was higher in the dry than in the wet season. The prevalence was higher in male than in female H. longifilis while higher in female than in male C. auratus and H. bidorsalis. Prevalence decreased with increase in standard length of C. auratus, H. longifilis and H. bidorsalis. A seemingly posteriorly deformed W. minuta was recovered from C. auratus. None of the 31 A. occidentalis examined in this study was infected by cestodes. All the fish used in this study were collected mostly on the basis of availability. It is therefore  recommended that larger sample of assorted sizes be obtained, especially of H. longifilis (15) and C. auratus (19), of which very few specimens were examined during the period of this study to obtain a clearer picture of infection by the cestodes from River
Galma, Zaria, Nigeria.

Keywords: Cestodes; catfish; clariid claroteid; siluriformes; infection; prevalence; intensity.