African Diplostomum (sensu Dubois 1961): Minireview on taxonomy and biology

Abstract

Freshwater fisheries has a significant contribution to development as an important source of human proteins as well as in sport fishing and aquarium. Despite their importance, both wild and aquaculture fish suffer from a problem of parasitism, notably Diplostomum species, causing fish mortalities particularly in fingerlings. Although a considerable effort in understanding Diplostomum species taxonomy, biology and control of fish parasites has been well developed in the northern hemisphere, the knowledge of these aspects in Africa is not clearly known.