The occurrence of heterophyid metacercariae in a stream linked aquatic reservoirs, Southeast Nigeria

Paul Chinedu Echi and Victoria Chimuanya Ezeala

Abstract
The study of teleost parasites in an ecologically altered ecosystem through dam construction that evidently facilitate parasitic infections and aggravate public health concerns is essential. The study of stream linked dam showed that Tilapia zillii (Gervais, 1848), Pelmatolapia mariae (Boulenger, 1899) and Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) form the major fish composition of these reservoirs. They serve important food resource globally especially places bereft of extensive aquaculture practices. Although, knowledge about the gill parasites of P. mariae is inexistent the examined individual P. mariae showed that it had 54% Heterophyes heterophyes infection, C. gariepinus had no parasitic infection whereas T. zillii had a relatively very low Batrachobdelloides spp. (1.7%). Besides, the highest DO levels in the dam occasioned by high agitation and floatation the physical factors conditions - pH and DO (> 6 mg.L-¹) had suitable levels for biodiversity.

Keywords
Refugia; Metacercariae; Community health; Spotted tilapia; Physical factors.

DOI
10.21472/bjbs.030509

Full text
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References
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