Differential size-biased parasitism between Polyacanthorhynchus nigerianus (nomen nudum) and Polyacanthorhynchus echiyensis (nomen nudum) (Acanthocephala: Polyacanthocephala)

Paul Chinedu Echi Sanil George and Suresh Kumar

Abstract
Seasonal occurrence of acanthocephalans is replete with controversies stemmed from hosts' activities and environmental conditions etc. Ergo, recent mitochondrial DNA resolved two new cystacanths sequences in a parentenic host Polyacanthorhynchus nigerianus NG1 KC904074 and Polyacanthorhynchus echiyensis NG5 KC9040745 has necessitated the present study between wet and dry seasons. Though the trend of infection followed a similar pattern, NG5 had higher prevalence than NG1 with highest prevalence 5.3% in January. However, the trend changed from March-July when the occurrence of NG1 had relatively much lower monthly prevalence > 2.6%. Their differential body size NG5 994.61 + 110.07 mm and NG1 237.58 + 30.34 mm, respectively, resulted in a trade-off between their body sizes and numbers.

Keywords
Abiotic factors; Body size; Mitochondrial DNA; Polyacanthohynchus; Thorny-headed worms; Seasonality; Synodontis batensoda.

DOI
10.21472/bjbs.030510

Full text
PDF

References
Amin, O. M. Key to the families and subfamilies of Acanthocephala with the erection of a new class (Polyacanthocephala) and a new order (Polyacanthorhynchida). J. Parasitol., v. 73, p. 1216-1219, 1987. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3282307

Amin, O. M.; Dezfuli, S. B. Taxonomic notes on Polyacanthocephala kenyensis (Acanthocephala: Polyacanthorhynchidae) from Lake Naivasha, Kenya. J. Parasitol., v. 81, p. 76-79, 1995. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3284009

Bullock, W. L. Morphological features as tool and pitfall in acanthocephalan systematics. In: Schmidt, G. D. (Ed.). Problems in systematics of parasites. Baltimore, Maryland: University Park Press, 1969. p. 9-45.

Chubb, J. C. Seasonal occurrence of helminthes in freshwater fishes. Part IV. Adult Cestoda, Nematoda and Acanthocephala. Adv. Parasitol., v. 20, p. 1-292, 1982. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0065-308X(08)60539-4

Echi, P. C. The parasites of characids (Osteichthyes: Characidae) in Anambra River, Nigeria. Niger: Department of Zoology, University of Nigeria, and Nsukka, 2005. (M.Sc. Project reports).

Echi, P. C.; Ezenwaji, H. M. G. The parasite fauna of characids' (Osteichthyes: Characidae) Anambra River, Nigeria. Afr. J. Ecol., v. 48, no. 1, p. 1-4, 2010. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2028.2009.01030.x

Echi, P. C; Suresh, K.; Sanil, G.; Iyaji, F. O.; Nwani, C. D.; Ejere, V. C. Mitochondrial DNA resolution of two new sequences Polyacanthorhynchus echiyensis n. sp. and Polyacanthorhynchus nigerianus n. sp. (Polyacanthocephala: Acanthocephala) in a parentenic host from a tropical river. Env. Con. J., v. 16, no. 1/2, p.13-17, 2015.

Ivanova, N. V.; de Waard, J. R.; Hebert, P. D. N. An inexpensive, automation-friendly protocol for recovering high-quality DNA. Mol. Ecol. Notes, v. 6, no. 4, p. 998-1002, 2006. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-8286.2006.01428.x

Molles M. C. Ecology: concepts and applications. New York: McGraw Hill, 2002.

Nickol, B. B. Epizootiology. In: Crompton, D. W. T.; Nickol, B. B. (Eds.). Biology of the Acanthocephala. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985. p. 307-346.

Olaosebikan, B. D.; Raji, A. Field guide to Nigerian freshwater fishes. New Bussa: Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, 1998.

Schmidt, G. D.; Canaius, A. G. Acanthocephala from Kenya with descriptions of two new species. J. Parasitol., v. 53, no. 3, p. 634-637, 1967. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3276730

Tamura, K.; Peterson, D.; Peterson, N.; Stecher, G.; Nei, M.; Kumar, S. MEGA5: molecular evolutionary genetics analysis using maximum likelihood, evolutionary distance, and maximum parsimony methods. Mol. Biol. and Evol., v. 28, p. 2731-279, 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msr121