<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> This study provides information on seasonal occurrence of developmental stages of endoparasites infecting three cyprinids in the Nwanedi-Luphephe dams, Limpopo River System. Labeobarbus marequensis (Smith, 1841), Barbus trimaculatus Peters, 1852 and Barbus radiatus Peters, 1853 were investigated seasonally from January 2008 to October 2008. The following larvae of metazoan parasites were collected: Diplostomum sp. from the eyes of L. marequensis and B. trimaculatus; Ornithodiplostomum sp. from the gills of B. trimaculatus; Posthodiplostomum sp. from muscle, skin and fins of B. trimaculatus and B. radiatus; third-stage Contracaecum larvae (L3) from the mesentery fats and on the liver lobes of L. marequensis and B. trimaculatus and gryporynchid cestode larvae from the outer intestinal wall of B. radiatus. All the flukes encountered were metacercariae. Diplostomum sp. and Contracaecum sp. dominated the parasite communities. Their prevalence exhibited seasonal fluctuations with maxima in summer. Factors likely to influence fish infection such as the body size of fish and their condition factors were also briefly considered in this study.</p></abstract>

This study provides information on seasonal occurrence of developmental stages of endoparasites infecting three cyprinids in the Nwanedi-Luphephe dams, Limpopo River System. Labeobarbus marequensis (Smith, 1841), Barbus trimaculatus Peters, 1852 and Barbus radiatus Peters, 1853 were investigated seasonally from January 2008 to October 2008. The following larvae of metazoan parasites were collected: Diplostomum sp. from the eyes of L. marequensis and B. trimaculatus; Ornithodiplostomum sp. from the gills of B. trimaculatus; Posthodiplostomum sp. from muscle, skin and fins of B. trimaculatus and B. radiatus; third-stage Contracaecum larvae (L3) from the mesentery fats and on the liver lobes of L. marequensis and B. trimaculatus and gryporynchid cestode larvae from the outer intestinal wall of B. radiatus. All the flukes encountered were metacercariae. Diplostomum sp. and Contracaecum sp. dominated the parasite communities. Their prevalence exhibited seasonal fluctuations with maxima in summer. Factors likely to influence fish infection such as the body size of fish and their condition factors were also briefly considered in this study.

Seasonal occurrence of some larval stages of endoparasites in three cyprinids from the Nwanedi-Luphephe dams, the Limpopo River System, South Africa

Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Private Bag X2, Roggebay 8012, Cape Town, South Africa;

Aquaculture Research Unit, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga 0727, South Africa

Department of Biodiversity, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga 0727, South Africa

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

This study provides information on seasonal occurrence of developmental stages of endoparasites infecting three cyprinids in the Nwanedi-Luphephe dams, Limpopo...

Seasonal occurrence of some larval stages of endoparasites in three cyprinids from the Nwanedi-Luphephe dams, the Limpopo River System, South Africa

Published Online: Aug 13, 2015

Page range: 229 - 235

Received: Oct 17, 2014

Accepted: Jan 28, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/helmin-2015-0037

© Institute of Parasitology, SAS, Košice

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.