Journal of Global Biosciences ISSN 2320-1355 Volume 3, Number 6, 2014, pp. 895-903 Website: www.mutagens.co.in E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

Research Paper

ECTO AND INTESTINAL PARASITES OF FROM UPPER RIVER BENUE S. Omeji, L.O. Tiamiyu, P.A. Annune and S.G. Solomon Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, University of Agriculture, P. M. B. 2373, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria.

Abstract Investigation on the ecto and intestinal parasites of Malapterurus electricus from the Upper River Benue was carried out using a total of two hundred specimens of the fish. A total of 304 parasites belonging to five of nematode (Camallanus sp, Capilaria sp, Contracaecum sp, Eustrongylides sp and Caenorhabditis briggsae ), two species of cestode (Diphilobothrium lactum and B. aengypticus ), one species each of protozoa and trematode (Henneguya sp and Clinostomum sp) were observed. The prevalence of infections obtained was 47.0%. The female specimens recorded a higher rate of infections (57.57%) than the male specimens (42.43%). However, there was no significant difference (Chi square = 0.141) in parasite load between the sexes. There were Variations in percentage parasite load among the size and weight ranges of the sampled fish . Key words: Upper River Benue, Parasites, Malapterurus electricus, dry season .

INTRODUCTION The Malapterurus is found throughout Western and Central tropical and the River. They occur in all the major freshwater systems in Africa and currently there are three species of Malapterurus 1. 2reported that species in the genus Malapterurus are generally found among rocks or roots in turbid and black waters with low visibility and that they favour sluggish or standing water. The most notable aspect of Malapterurus is its strong electrogenic ability. The electric organ evolved from its pectoral muscle. This organ also surrounds the body over most of the length of the fish and is capable of discharging up to 350v (in a 500mm fish 2. Malapterurus electricus is eaten as food in parts of Africa. 1reported that smoked electric is a popular delicacy along the shores of Lake Kainji. The fish species is also occasionally encountered in the pet trade as an aquarium fish. The electric organs Journal of Global Biosciences Vol. 3(6), 2014 pp. 895-903 ISSN 2320-1355 of Malapterurus have been used in studies of neuronal metabolism, axonal transport, and transmitter release 3. One of the factors responsible for reduction in fish production is parasite. Parasites represent an important source of economic losses for aquaculture in terms of reduced fish growth and increased mortality and also in terms of investments in the farming practices and chemicals necessary for their prevention 4. Most fish especially in the wild population are likely to be infested with parasites, but in the great majority of cases, no significant harm to the host may be ensued or identified, thus, there are only few reports of parasites causing mortality or serious damage to the fish populations, but this may be largely because such effects go unnoticed 5. This study was therefore conducted to provide information on the ecto and intestinal parasites of M. electricus because of their importance in the artisanal fisheries of Benue and other inland States of Nigeria., considering the conservation status and Economic importance for humans.

MATERIALS AND NETHODS The study took place along the course of Upper River Benue (Mutum Biu) in Taraba State, Nigeria. River Benue is the major tributary of the Niger River and it is approximately 1,400 km long and is almost entirely navigable during the summer months. As a result, it is an important transportation route in the regions through which it flows. It rises in the Adamawa Plateau of northern Cameroon, from where it flows west, and through the town of Garoua and Lagdo Reservoir, into Nigeria south of the Mandara mountains, and through Jimeta, Ibi and Makurdi before meeting the Niger at Lokoja. The river's largest tributary is the Mayo Kébbi, which connects it with the Logone River (part of the system) during floods. Other tributaries are Taraba River and River Katsina Ala. The River exists year round though the water volume fluctuates with season. The river overflows its banks during the rainy season (May-October) but decreases drastically in volume leaving tiny island in the middle of the river during the dry season (November- April). The river contains several species of freshwater fishes of different families. Collection of Fish Specimens A total of two hundred (200) fish comprising of different sizes weights were sampled for a period of 10 months of dry season and transported in ice to the laboratory from the sampling site. In the laboratory the taxonomic identity of the sampled fish were confirmed 6, the sexes of the fish were determined by examination of their papillae, total length and standard length were measured to the nearest 0.1 cm using a meter rule mounted on a dissecting board and weight measured with a digital top loading balance to the nearest 0.1 g. All techniques for examination of ecto and endo parasites were as reported by 7, 8 9, 10 as thus: Examination of Fish for Parasites Using a hand lens, skin smear of the fish was examined for parasites. The smear was made by scrapping of the skin and observed under the microscope at ×100 magnification. The gills were dissected and removed and examine under the microscope. The cavity of the fish was cut opened ventrally and the alimentary canal was also cut opened separately and the contents washed in a little distilled water into petridishes. They were examined under the microscope for parasites to determine their number and distribution Parasites collected were fixed in 4% formalin and preserved in formal acetic acid, stain by haematoxylin and Eosin and identified 11

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Statistical analysis: The prevalence (%), mean intensity and abundance were analyzed according to 12 . The relationships between host sex, weight, total length, locality and parasitic infection were obtained from pooled data using analysis of variance (ANOVA). All statistical analysis were done using SPSS version 16 for windows.

RESULTS Results of the parasite species composition in M. electricus from Upper River Benue (Mutum Biu) are as shown in Table 1. Out of the 200 samples of M. electricus collected in dry season, 106 (%) were not infested by any parasites while 94 (47.00%) were infested with different parasites and were observed to harbour a total of 304 parasites belonging five species of nematode (Camallanus sp, Capilaria sp, Contracaecum sp, Eustrongylides sp and Caenorhabditis briggsae ), two species of cestode (Diphilobothrium lactum and B. aengypticus ), one species each of protozoa and trematode (Henneguya sp and Clinostomum sp) respectively. Among the parasites, Diphilobothrium latum was the most prevalent (30.26%) and were recovered from the intestine (27.96%) and stomach (2.30%) of the sampled fish while C. briggsae (3.62%) accounted for the least percentage parasite load (0.99% in the intestine and 2.63% in the stomach). Among the body parts of the examined fishes, intestine had the highest percentage load of parasites 131 (43.09%) while the least, 11 (3.62%) was recorded by the skin. Among the external body parts of the sampled fishes, gill had the highest percentage parasite load (10.20%) as shown in Fig.1. Results of the relationship between sex and percentage parasite infestation in M. electricus from Upper River Benue in dry season are as shown in Figure 2. It was observed that the female fish samples had higher percentage parasite load than the male counterpart. However, there was no significant difference (Chi square = 0.141) in parasite load between the sexes. Results of the size distribution and percentage parasite infestation in M. electricus from Upper River Benue in dry season are as shown in Figure 3. Highest parasite load (40%) was recorded in size range between 21.1-31.0cm while the least (2.0%) was recorded in the size range between 51.1-61.0cm. Results of the relationship between the weight and percentage parasite infestation in M. electricus from Upper River Benue in dry season are as shown in Figure 4. The highest percentage parasite load (45.39%) was recorded in the weight range between 500.1- 750g while the lowest (2.96%) was recorded in the weight range between 250.1-500g.

DISCUSION Different parasites belonging to different parasite groups belonging namely, five species of nematode (Camallanus sp, Capilaria sp, Contracaecum sp, Eustrongylides sp and Caenorhabditis briggsae ), two species of cestode ( Diphilobothrium lactum and B. aengypticus ), one species each of protozoa and trematode (Henneguya sp and Clinostomum sp) respectively were observed to be present in different locations of the M. electricus used for this work. The recovery of these parasites from different body parts of the fish species in this investigation is not surprising as they have been recorded previously from the species or related species elsewhere 11 . Henneguya sp was obtained as whitish cyst of variable sizes which usually attach to aborescent organ, few were observed on the gill filament of infected fish. High prevalence of the parasite in different fish species from various fish farms and rivers had been reported by 13 and 14 from Tiga dam.

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Infestation of the different body parts of C. gariepinus by protozoan parasites had been reported by 7 and 15 from River Benue, 16 , 9 from River Kaduna, 17 . 18 and 19 reported infestation of Tilapia species by trematodes. Infestation of O. niloticus by protozoa and trematode parasites had also been reported by 20 . The present study revealed that intestine had the highest number of parasites compared to the other parts of the studied fish. The high number of parasites recorded in the intestines could be attributed to the fact that most digestion activity takes place in the intestine which could lead to the release of parasite ova/cysts in food particles. This agrees with the reported work of 21 who reported higher number of helminth parasites in the intestine of some freshwater fish from River Niger at Illushi Edo State. Similarly, 22 reported higher number of parasites in the intestine than the stomach and attributed it to several factors among which, is the presence of digested food there or due to the greater surface area presented by the intestine. The higher number of cestodes recorded in the intestine of the infested fish agrees with the reported work of 16 . 23 reported more parasite infestation in the intestine with only a few existed in the stomach. Reduced number of the parasites in the stomach than the intestine might be due to the movement of the stomach muscle, hydrochloric acid nature of the stomach and its omnivore nature 24 . The differences in prevalence of infection between the small and big fish as related to their length and weight may be due to changes in their diet from weeds, seeds, phytoplanktons and zooplankton to insect larvae, crustacean and worm. Also, these differences could be attributed to the random selection of the specimens and to probable high level of immunity built up in the fish specimens. 24 had made similar observation. The overall percentage parasite infestation between the sexes during the study period showed that the female fish had more percentage parasite infestation than the male counterparts. Differences in the incidence of infestation between the female and male fish could be due to the physiological state of the females, as most gravid females could have had reduced resistance to infestation by parasites. In addition, their increased rate of food intake to meet their food requirements for the development of their egg might have exposed them to more contact with the parasites, which subsequently increased their chance of being infested. This observation agrees with the reported works of 9 and 15 but disagrees the reported works of 25 , 26 and 27 who reported more parasite infestation in male fish than the female. 28 reported that differences in the incidence of infestation between male and female fish could be due to differential feeding either by quantity or quality of food eaten or as a result of different degrees of resistance and infection. In the reported work of 28 female fishes were more frequently infected with parasites than the males. 22 had also reported the prevalence of helminth parasites in the gastro-intestinal tract of female wild African sharptooth catfish ( Clarias gariepinus ) in Gwagwalada of Fedreral Capital Territary, Nigeria than the male counterparts.

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30

25

20

15

10 PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PARASITE LOAD

5

0 Gill Gill Skin Stomach Stomach Stomach Stomach Stomach Stomach Stomach Intestine Intestine Intestine Intestine Intestine Intestine Intestine Intestine

Clinostomum C. briggsae Camallanus sp Eustrongylides D. lactum Contracaecum Capilaria sp B. aengypticus Henneguya sp sp sp sp PARASITES/LOCATIONS

Fig 1. Parasites species spectrum in M. electricus from Upper River Benue in dry season .

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60

50

40

30

20 Percentageparasite load

10

0 MALE FEMALE Sex

Figure 2. Relationship between sex and percentage parasite infestation in M. electricus from Upper River Benue in dry season .

51.1-61 2%

41.1 -51 25% 21.1-31 40%

31.1-41 33%

Fig.3 Size distribution and percentage parasite infestation in M. elec tricus from Upper River Benue in dry season.

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50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15 Percentageparasite load 10

5

0 1-250 250.1-500 500.1-750 750.1-1000 1000.1-1250

Range in length (cm)

Fig. 4 Relationship between the weight and percentage parasite infestation in M. electricus from Upper River Benue in dry season.

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