Gastrointestinal parasites of common African toad (<i>Bufo regularis</i>) in Umuahia South, Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

Information on the parasites of common African toads (Bufo regularis) is still limited, judging by the global efforts to conserve amphibians. This informed the decision to provide baseline data of the gastrointestinal parasites of B. regularis of Umuahia South Local Area (LGA) of Abia State, Nigeria. Using standard methods, 321 B. regularis comprised of males, n =145, 45.17% and females n =176, 54.83% were collected from five communities (Old Umuahia, Amakama, Okwu, Ubakala and Agbama) in Umuahia South LGA, between June and November 2014. They were later examined for gastrointestinal parasites using standard procedures. Data analysis revealed that male B. regularis had more (n = 61, 19.03%) gastrointestinal parasites than the females (n = 58, 18.69%). Different species of gastrointestinal parasites belonging to class Cestoda (Osphiotaenia nigriocollis, Lanfrediella sp and Proteocephalid Cestode larva); Trematoda (Messoceolium monody and Echinostoma revolutum), Nematoda (Amplicaecum africanum, Rhabdias bufonis, Ascaridoid, Oswaldocruzia pipiens and Camallanus sp) and Protozoa (Nyctotheroides bambuiensis, Lankesterellla bufonis and Protoopolina sp) were identified with prevalence 20.25%, 4.36%, 7.48% and 4.98%, respectively. Prevalence of parasites varied significantly (p<0.05) across the gastrointestinal regions. Though no symptom of disease condition was established in all the B. regularis examined, high presence of gastrointestinal parasites could pose a threat to their existence.

Keywords: Bufo regularis; cestoda; gastrointestinal parasitism.