A STUDY OF THE PREVALENCE OF PARASITIC INFECTION AND ASPECTS OF THE BIOLOGY OF SOME MEMBERS OF FAMILY CICHLIDAE IN ZARIA DAM, NIGERIA

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Date
1987-12
Authors
OMAR, TATA SHEKARAU
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Abstract
The incidence and distribution of Parasites and some aspects of the biology such as size distribution, Length-weight relationship, condition factor and sex ratio of 567 specimens comprising 308 Oreochromis niloticus, 147 Tilapia zillii, 73 Sarotherodon galilaeus and 39 Hemichromis bimaculatus (Family: Cichlidae) from Zaria dam were investigated for one year between July 1996 to Dune 1987. Ninety-seven fish specimens (17.1%) were found infected by Protozoan Henneguya sp. (Cysts) recovered from the gill filaments; Clinostomum sp. metacercariae (digenetic trematode) from the branchial region, Diplostomatid cysts (digenetic trematode) from the abdominal cavity, developing Cyclophyllidean cestode from the intestine, Ascarid worm (Nematode) from the gonad region, Neoechinorhynchus sp. (Acanthocephala) from the epithelial lining of the intestine and an unidentified Leech (Hirudinea) recovered on the body surface. Oreochromis niloticus was found to be most infected by parasites with 22.4 percent infection rate. Followed by Tilapia zillii and Sarotherodon galilaeus with 15.65 percent and 6.85 percent infection rate respectively. Hemichromis bimaculatus was found free from parasites. No pathological symptoms or mortality as a result of infection by these parasites were observed in the hosts. On the size distribution of the species however, the males of Qreochromis niloticus and Tilapia zillii were found to be larger in size than the females, but not in Sarotherodon galilaeus. The 'b' values obtained for all the four species in Length-weight regression analysis, was found to be less than 3. This indicated an allometric growth. All the species were in good condition and their monthly mean condition factor was high throughout the period of study. The sex ratio was approximately one to one.
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A thesis submitted to the Postgraduate School, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of: MASTER OF SCIENCE IN FISHERIES (M.Sc Fisheries) Department of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria DECEMBER, 1987
Keywords
PREVALENCE,, PARASITIC,, INFECTION,, ASPECTS,, BIOLOGY,, FAMILY CICHLIDAE,, ZARIA DAM,, NIGERIA
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