Helminths Parasite Communities in Heterotis niloticus (Cuvier, 1829) in the Sô River (Benin, West Africa) : A Prelimanary Study

Abstract

Heterotis niloticus, the african bonytongue, is a fish species living in shallow waters. Its feeding ecology makes it an omnivorous species capable of reaching large sizes. It is a rare species in the catches except from well-known areas and seasons. A total of 39 H. niloticus individuals from Sô river were subjected to parasitological examination in order to identify the diversity of parasites. Physicochemical water parameters such as pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen (O2), Nitrite (NO2), Electrical Conductivity (EC), turbidity and total dissolved solids (TDS) were recorded. The sex and the size of any fish were reported. Indices characterizing the parasitic infracommunity and the component community were determined. Total prevalence was 97.43%, with five parasite species identified, comprising 3 heterogenous parasites and 2 monoxenous parasites and a community of 529 individuals. Male fish were more infested than females (P < .05) while the mean abundance and intensity were largely in favor of acanthocephalans (P < .05). There was no significant correlation (P > .05) between the physicochemical parameters and the parasite prevalence. The physico-chemical profile revealed therefore an acceptable living ecosystem for fish. However, the high presence of heterogenous parasites suggests that further investigations over a longer sampling period could highlight the biotic or abiotic factors favorable to this multiplication of each recorded parasite group.