A survey of the prevalence of metacercariae in Ophicephalus striatus (Dalag) and Tilapia nilotica (Tilapia) collected from Paete, Laguna

• Main Author: Gerez, Irvin Francis A.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1997
• Subjects: Fishes > Parasites > Laguna; Fishes > Diseases; Helminths; Tilapia
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/1436
• Institution: De La Salle University

Fins, scales and muscle tissue samples from thirty Ophicephalus striatus ( Dalag ) and thirty Tilapia nilotica ( Tilapia ) fishes obtained from Paete, Laguna during the months of June to November, 1996 were miscroscopically examined for the presence of metacercariae through compression (scales, fins) and digestion (flesh) method. Eleven (36.7 % prevalence rate) of the dissected Dalags were found positive with metacercarial infection. These parasites were noted in the scales (16.7 %) and flesh (30.0 %). The infected flesh exhibited a metacercariae commonly found in the scales (10.0 %) and flesh (16.7 %). The metacercariae density in flesh was between 370 to 1171 with an average of 918. Interestingly, the flesh of both fish species were found highly susceptible to metacercariae and none in the different fins examined. Moreover, the morphological characteristics of the recovered metacercariae were circular to ovoidal in shape with a distinct cyst wall and an obscure internal structure.