Parasitofauna of Blackchin tilapia Sarotherodon melanotheron (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from Ebrie Lagoon, Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

In this study the ecto and endoparasites infecting Sarotherodon melanotheron were investigated in Ebrie Lagoon between February 2019 and November 2019. A total of 108 randomly sampled Sarotherodon melanotheron was procured from fishermen and examined for parasites using standard parasitological methods. The parasites such as Monogenean Cichlidogyrus halinus, C. halli, C. acerbus and Scutogyrus minus), Myxosporea (Myxobolus beninensis, M. diamensis, M. nokouensis and M. sarotherodoni), Copepod (Ergasilus latus and E. sp), Acanthocephalan (Acanthogyrus tilapiae), Nematode (Eustrongylides sp) and the Trematoda (Clinostomum tilapiae and Euclinostomum heterostomum) were recorded. Gill and intestine were respectively the more and the least infected organ by parasites. The intensity of Monogenean, Copepod and Acanthocephalan were positively increased with host body size. In Contrast, the intensity of Myxosporean, Nematode and Trematode did not increase with host standard length. Monogenean and Copepod were more concentrated in male hosts and Myxosporean in female fish. However, no influence of host sex on parasitism level was observed for population of Acanthocephalan, Nematode and Trematode. This could enable the use of appropriate methods to fight against these pathogens, especially in intensive fish farming.