Gastrointestinal Helminth Parasites of Heterotis Niloticus (Osteoglossiformes: Osteoglossidae) From Anambra River, Eastern Nigeria

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Fish diseases especially those caused by parasites are major problems confronting fish farmers globally. This study investigated the gastrointestinal helminth parasites of Heterotis niloticus (African Bony tongue fish) from the Anambra River basin over 12 months (January to December, 2013). A total of 294 fish were caught from three locations along the Anambra River, and transported to the laboratory for morphological and parasitological studies. Four species of helminth parasites were isolated comprising one cestode (Sandonella sandoni), two nematodes (Procamallanus laeviconchus and Dujardinascaris species) and one acanthocephalan (Tenuisentis niloticus). Out of the 294 fish species examined, the overall prevalence of infection was high (72.8%) with a mean abundance of 0.77 of helminth parasites per fish. Prevalence of helminth infection increased with increasing host weight, although there was no significant relationship (p=0.144). Similarly, there was no significant relationship between the length of fish and helminth infection. The intestine was found to be the site for most of the recovered parasites. More parasites were recovered during the rainy season. It can be concluded that H. niloticus is a new host record for P. laeviconchus. It is therefore necessary to be aware of the parasitofauna for possible zoonotic disease. Keywords: Gastrointestinal; Parasites; Helminth; Heterotis niloticus; Anambra River.