ABSTRACT
An investigation on helminth parasites of tree frogs was conducted at Okomu Oil palm Plantation, an altered forest habitat location in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo state, from June to August 2023. Two hundred and twenty three frogs were sampled using visual and acoustic encountered sampling techniques and they were euthanized using benzoicaine solution, different organs of the gastro-intestinal tract such as stomach, small intestine, rectum, urinary bladder, lungs, liver, peritoneal cavity were examined for parasites. The two hundred and twenty three tree frogs examined were from two families, three genera and six species. The tree frogs encountered included Afrixalus dorsalis, Hyperolius concolor, Hyperolius fusciventris burtoni, Hyperolius fusciventris fusciventris, Hyperolius picturatus, Leptopelis hyloides. Four species of parasites Physaloptera larvae. (3.13%), Chabaudus sp. (0.89%), Unidentified Protocephalid cestode (0.89%) and Polychatae (0.89%) were recovered from the anuran hosts examined. Out of the two hundred and twenty three examined, One hundred and ninety one (191) were males and thirty two (32) were females. Thirteen (13) [eleven (11) males and two (2) females] of the tree frogs were infected, with a prevalence of 4.93% and 0.89% respectively. The overall prevalence of the infection is 5.82%. Afrixalus dorsalis haboured the highest number of parasite species (7.61%) followed by Hyperolius concolor (7.24%). All the parasites found in this studies have been previously recorded from previous investigations carried out in rain forest region except the Physaloptera sp., Chabaudus sp. and Polychatae which are newly recorded from Afrixalus dorsalis thus increasing the host and geographical range of the Physaloptera, Chabaudus sp. and Polychatae. There is still need for further studies to be carried out in the oil palm plantation over a longer period for more tree frogs and parasites infecting them which were not encountered in this study due to the short duration.
