Studies on the Helminth parasites in the fishes of Assam and Manipur.

Transcription

1 Studies on the Helminth parasites in the fishes of Assam and Manipur. Binky, Ratnabir, Puinyabati, Geetarani, Ranibala, Sangeeta, M.Shomorendra*, Devashish Kar** Cell: Division of Wetlands, Fishery Science and Aquaculture Department of Life Sciences, Assam (Central) University, Silchar-11, India *Fish Disease Research Lab., Department of Zoology, Thambal Marik College, Oinam , Manipur ABSTRACT Present communication deals with the helminth parasites in the fishes of Assam and Manipur. Studies revealed 20 species of parasites from fishes in Manipur. Of these, 10 species were nematodes, 4 species were trematodes, 4 species were cestodes and 2 species were acanthocephalas. In Assam, 10 species of parasites were collected. Of these, 5 species belonged to nematoda, 3 to acanthocephala and 1 to trematoda and cestoda respectively. Investigations revealed nematode parasites showing maximum infection (10 species) and acanthocephalan parasites showing minimum infection (2 species) in Manipur. In Assam, nematode parasites portrayed maximum infection (5 species) and trematode and cestode parasites reflected minimum infection (1 species). Keywords : Helminth, Parasite, Fishes, Assam, Manipur.

2 INTRODUCTION Fish constitutes a major component of diet for the people of North East particularly Assam and Manipur. Fish diseases due to helminth parasite is one of the important problems in fish culture and fish farming. The importance of fish parasites is related directly to the importance of the fish they may affect. There is a bewildering array of fish parasites and probably all the fish species harbour one or more species. The present study was done for exploring the helminth parasites found in Assam and Manipur, which will further contribute to our understanding of helminth community diversity. Bylund et al. (1980) studied on parasites of fish in Finland. Work of Yamaguti (1958, 1961, 1963 & 1971) related to occurrence of helminth parasite in vertebrate host is of immense importance zones of the world. Considerable work has been done on the systematics of monogenetic trematodes of fishes by many Indian workers. Many workers like Bhalerao (1942), Dayal (1949), Gupta (1961), made substantial contribution on the taxonomy of digenetic trematode parasites. Gupta (1961) described new cestodes from fresh water fishes. Fish nematodes of Indian region have been studied by Karve (1930), Agarwal (1959) and Soota (1983). Pandey (1971) studied on Clinostomum metacercariae from Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch). Kar ( 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010) studied the fish fauna of Barak drainage in Assam, Mizoram and Tripura with a note on Conservation. Kar et al. (2005) studied on Fish diversity and conservation aspects in an aquatic ecosystem in North East India. Kar and Sen. (2007) worked on different aspects of fish diversity and habitats etc. in North East India. Kar et al. (2008, 2009 a, b) studied on Panorama of Fish Biodiversity in certain rivers and

3 wetlands in Manipur, Assam and Tripura. Shomorendra et al.(2003, 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2009) on the occurrence of parasite of the fishes in Loktak Lake, Manipur. Jha et al. (1989) studied on characterization of parasite fauna of the fishes of Muzzaffarpur, Bihar. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fish samples for the present study were obtained from Assam and Manipur. Fishes were brought to laboratory in almost living condition having local water (i.e. water of that very water body) in a polythene bag. Small fishes were killed by pitting and somewhat large specimens by blow on the top of the cranium. The external body surface as well as the internal organs (alimentary canal, liver, heart, Kidney, gonads, Swim bladder and eyes), were thoroughly examined for the parasites.the parasites collected upon being fully relaxed, were fixed in the fixatives prescribed for different helminthic groups. The trematodes were fixed in AFA (Alcohol Formalin Acetic-Acid) solution and stored in 70% alcohol. Cestodes were fixed and stored in 5% formalin. To facilitate identification of worms, trematodes and cestodes were stained in Alum carmine, dehydrated in glacial acetic acid, cleared in methyl Salicylate and mounted in Canada balsam. The ecological terms used in the present work are based on the description of Margolis et al. (1982). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In the course of routine examination 19 species of parasites were collected from Manipur. Of these, 10 species were nematodes, 4 species were trematodes, 4 species were cestodes and 2 species were acanthocephalas(table I). In Assam 10 species of parasites were collected belonging to 5 nematodes, 3 acanthocephalas

4 and 1 trematode and cestode respectively(table II).The present investigation results with nematode species showing maximum (10) infection and acanthocephalan species with minimum (2) infection in Manipur whereas in Assam nematode species shows maximum(5) infection and trematode and cestode shows minimum(1) infection. The cestode parasites collected during the present investigation comprises Lytocestus birmanicus Lynsdale, 1956 and Lytocestus bishnupurensis Shomorendra et al from fish host Clarias batrachus and Mystus sp., Djombangia penetrans Bovien, 1926 and Capingentoides singhi Verma, 1971 from fish host Clarias batrachus. All the species except L. bishnupurensis are reported for the first time from the state of Manipur. The nematode parasites collected are Camallanus anabantis, Procamallanus saccobranchi, Paraquimperia manipurensis,philometra sp., Rhabdochona sp., Paragendria sp.,syphacia sp.,spirocamallanus sp.,haplonema sp.,spinitectus sp.,geozia sp. and Pseudoproleptus sp. The trematode parasites are Alleocreadium handiai, A.fasciatusi, Astiotrema reniferum (Looss, 1898), Looss, 1900; Clinostomum complanatum. The acanthocephalan parasites are Acanthocephalus sp., Acanthosentis sp., Pallisentis ophiocephali. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors are thankful to the Director, ZSI, Kolkata; authorities of Assam (Central) University and Principal, Thambal Marik College, Oinam for giving

5 laboratory facilities. Thanks are due to Shri S.R. Dey Sarkar and Dr. S.B. Bhatacharya of ZSI, for identifying the specimens. REFERENCES Agarwal, V. (1966): Studies on some nematode parasites of freshwater fishes from Lucknow, Ann. Parasitol. hum camp. 41: Chakravarty, R. &Tandon, V, On the present status of caryophyllidea with a report of some caryophyllid infections in the freshwater cat fish Clarias batrachus (L) in North- East India and a record of an anomalous form., Indian J. Helminth. (N.S.) 5(1): Gupta, S.P. (1961). Morphology, life history and biophysical studies of helminth parasites, D. Sc. Thesis, Lucknow University. Lucknow. Hafeezullah, M Caryophyllidean cestode fauna of India. Rec. of the Zoo. Surv. Of India. Occa. Paper no Jha (1989): Characteristics of the parasite fauna of the fishes of Sikanderpur reservoir in the Muzaffarpur in north Bihar. Ph.D. Thesis. Bihar University,Muzaffarpur, Bihar. Jha (1989): Characteristics of the parasite fauna of the fishes of Sikanderpur reservoir in the Muzaffarpur in north Bihar. Ph.D. Thesis. Bihar University,Muzaffarpur, Bihar. Jhingran. V.G.(1975): Fish and fisheries of India, Hindustan Publishing Corporation (India). Kar. D.and Sen, N. (2007): Systematic list and distribution of fish biodiversity in Mizoram, Tripura and Barak drainage in North East

6 India. Zoos Print Journal 22(3) Kar D Fundamental of Limnology and Aquaculture and Biotechnology xiv Daya Publishing House (New Delhi) Kar, D. and Sen (2007). Systematics list and distribution of fish biodiversity in Mizoram, Tripura and Barak drainage in North East India. Zoos print Journal 22(3) Kar, D., Barbhuiya, A.H., Baruah,A.R., Choudhury, C., Banerjee, P., Paul, K. Bhattacharjee, A., Saikia, R., Das, B., Barman,R.and Saha, B b. Panorama of Fish diversity in certain rivers, wetlands and protected areas in Assam. Geobios 36: Kar, D. and Barbhuiya, A.H Mahaseer fishes of Barak Drainage, Mizoram and Tripura. Souvenir: National Symposium on Coldwater Fisheries Management: New Strategies and approaches, 2-4, Oct.2009, Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research (ICAR), Bhaimtal, Uttarakhand, India:pp Kar,D (2010). Biodiversity Conservation Prioritisation.pp-172, Swastik Publication (New Delhi). Shomorendra; Ranibala and Jha(2003):On a new nematode parasite Paraquimperia manipurensis n.sp. from the intestine of Anabas testudineus (Bloch) Uttar Pradesh J. Zool. 23(2): Shomorendra and Jha (2009): Acanthocephalan Parasites of certain fishes

7 from Manipur, India: one known species of genus Pallisentis and one new species of genus Acanthocephalus. Uttar Pradesh J. Zool. 29(3), 1-6, Shomorendra, M Studies on parasite fauna of fishes of Loktak lake, District Bishnupur, Manipur. Ph.D.Thesis.B.R.A. Bihar University,Muzaffarpur. Shomorendra,M.,Kumar,Pankaj and Jha,A.N A new cestode Lytocestus bishnupurensis n.sp. from a freshwater fish Mystus seenghala (Sykes). J. freshwater Bio. 15(1-5): Tondon, V.L.(1982): Studies of Helminth parasites of Indian fishes. Ph.D. Thesis. Lucknow University,Lucknow. Yamaguti. S Systema Helminthum. Vol. 2. The cestodes of vertebrates. Inter Science Publishers, Inc. New York.