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The parasite fauna of characids’ (Osteichthyes: Characidae) Anambra River, Nigeria

2009; Wiley; Volume: 48; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1365-2028.2009.01030.x

1365-2028

Paul Chinedu Echi, H M Ezenwaji,

Myxozoan Parasites in Aquatic Species

Abstract Baseline information on the parasites of frequently caught species of the characids namely Hydrocynus vittatus , Alestes baremoze , Brycinus macrolepidotus and Brycinus leuciscus was investigated in Anambra River from August 2004 to July 2005. The parasites recovered were the Myxosporid, Myxobolus sp (Protozoa), Polyopistocotylids, Diplozoon ghanense and Neodipolzoon polycotyleus (Monogeneans), the Caryophyllid Caryophylleus sp (Cestoda) and Rhabdochona sp (Nematoda). The prevalence of Caryophylleus sp in B. macrolepidotus (14.2%) and A. baremoze (8.1%) as well as Rhabdochon sp and Myxobolus sp in H . vittatus (9.6% and 7.8% respectively) was relatively high (>7.0%); while the other parasite species Myxobolus sp in B. leuciscus (2%), D. ghanense in B. macrolepidotus (1.9%) and N. polycotyleus in A. baremoze (1.9%) had a much lower prevalence (2.7%). Distribution of parasites was clearly seasonal. Dissolved oxygen (8.0–14.0) mg l −1 and pH (5.5–7.0) influenced the occurrence of the parasites whereas temperature (20.1–27.5 DC) showed no much effect.