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