HELMINTH PARASITIC INFECTION OF PTYCHADENA SPECIES FROM RUBBER RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF NIGERIA, IYANOMO EDO STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The Ptychadena species in the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria (RRIN), Iyanomo, located in Edo State, Nigeria were surveyed for their helminth parasitic infections. Eighteen (18) specimens consisting of five species were captured and examined from June to September, 2019. The species were Ptychadena aequiplicata (1), Ptychadena bibroni (4) Ptychadena longirostris (6), Ptychadena oxyrhynchus (5) and Ptychadena pumilio (2). Fifteen specimens were infected resulting in an overall prevalence of 83.33%. The classes of parasites recorded were Monogenea; Polystoma baeri and Polystoma ebriensis, Trematoda; Mesocoelium monodi and seven (7) undetermined species of Mesocoelium; Nematoda; Aplectana macintoshii, Cosmocerca ornate, Chabaudas leberri, Physaloptera sp. and a nematode cyst. The prevalence was generally low among the species. While 33.3% was the highest recorded for Pty. longirostris, 5.56% the lowest, was recorded for Pty. aequiplicata and Pty. pumilio. The prevalence of trematodes was higher in all the Ptychadena spp examined except for Pty. bibroni in which 50% was recorded for nematodes and 25% for trematodes. The high overall prevalence (83.33%) of infection in this study is similar to previous records from Okomu Rubber Plantation, but higher than reports from Okomu National Park and High Conservation Value Area (HCVAs) in Okomu Oil Plantation (extention II) in Edo State. The results from this study would be the second report on helminth parasites of Ptychadena species from a monoculture Rubber Plantation in Nigeria. From this study are new host records in Nigeria: Pty. longirostris for C. commutata and C. leberrei and Pty. oxyrhynchus for Aplectana macintoshii.