ABSTRACT

This study was conducted on the helminth parasites of Geckos from Uwasota, Egor Local Government Area in Edo State, Nigeria as a result of paucity of information on the helminth parasites of wall geckos from Uwasota. A total of 17 samples were collected between February and December 2021 consisting of two males and 15 females. Two species of geckos were encountered consisting of Hemidactylus angulatus and Hemidactylus mabouia. Out of the 17 samples examined, one was H. angulatus and sixteen were H. mabouia.  11 out of the 17 wall geckos examined were infected with helminth parasites giving an overall prevalence value of 64.70%. In relation to sex,the prevalence of infections in males and females were 100% and 60% respectively. The prevalence of helminth infection in H. angulatus and in H.mabouia were 100% and 62.5% respectively. The helminth parasites recovered in this study were Pentastomid; Raillietella affinis (5.88%) Cestode; Oochoristica sp. (5.88%,), and Nematodes; Thelandros scleratus(35.29%)and Parapharyngodon awokoyai(29.41%). The most encountered helminth parasite was Thelandros scleratus while the least encountered helminth parasites were Raillietella affinis and Oochoristica sp. Thelandros scleratus and Parapharyngodon awokoyai have previously not been reported from Uwasota. This thus widens the geographical range and further contributedto the available knowledge on helminth parasites infecting wall geckos from Uwasota. Further research can be carried out to reveal possible parasites that may be available in Uwasota but not encountered in this study.