PARASITIC COPEPOD INFESTATION OF Sarotherodon galilaeus (LINNAEUS, 1758) SAMPLED ALONG THE LOWER RIVER BENUE, WADATA, MAKURDI, BENUE STATE

Abstract

A total of 150 fresh samples of Sarotherodon galilaeus were collected from the fishermen's catches along the

Lower River Benue, Wadata, Makurdi, Benue State from February to July, 2022 and transported immediately in

50 litres Jerry Can half filled with clean water to the Biological Science Laboratory, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka

University, Makurdi for morphometric measurement and parasitological examination using standard

parasitological methods. The fish samples were identified using a relevant identification guide. The examination

of the 150 samples of Sarotherodon galilaeus led to the recovery of 268 copepods comprising of 84 Nipergasilus

bora, 69 Neoergasilus longispinosis, 52 Argulus japanicus and 63 Ergasilus latus from 110 infested samples. Out

of the 268 parasites, while the gill had 252 parasites from 96 infested fish samples, skin had 16 parasites from 14

infested fish samples. The highest number of parasites (84) was recorded for Nipergasilus bora while the least

(52 with 36 on the gill and 16 on the skin) was recorded for Argulus japanicus. Higher parasitic prevalence of

64.00% was recorded for the infested gills compared to the parasitic prevalence of 9.33% recorded for the infested

skin. The 38.00% parasitic prevalence recorded in dry season was higher compared to the 35.33% prevalence

recorded in rainy season. Higher rate of parasitic copepod infestation was observed in the bigger sized samples

of Sarotherodon galilaeus compared the smaller sized counterpart. Parasitic prevalence of 42.00% recorded from

63 infested female samples was higher than the 31.33% parasitic prevalence recorded from 47 infested male

samples of Sarotherodon. galilaeus.