THE HELMINTH PARASITOFAUNA OF BUFO REGULARIS (REUSS) IN AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

The term "toad" tends to refer to the "True Toads".... which are members of the family Bufonidae, containing more than300 species. One hundred specimens of Bufo regularis (67 males and 33 females) were collected between June 2006 andAugust 2006 in Awka metropolis of Anambra State of Nigeria and examined for helminth parasites or for non-protozoan gut andtissue parasites. Seventy one percent (71%) (48 males and 23 females) of the specimens were infected by five hundred andforty-three (543) parasitic helminthes made up of 475(89%) nematodes, 6(2%) pentastomids and 62(14%) trematodes. Theseseven species collected include Nematoda: Ascaridoid larva (12%), Rhabdias bufonis(30%), Camallanus sp.(10%), Amplicaecumafricanum(31%), Ascaridoid(6%); Trematoda: Messocoelium monodi(14%); Pentastomida: Raillietiella sp.(6%).Amplicaecum africanum was most prevalent in males with 24% than in females 7%. Also Rhabdias bufonis was most prevalent inmales with 19% than in females 11% and the differences were statistically significant. Prevalence also varied with length andweight. Male toads in the length classes of 11.0-11.9cm and 12.0-12.9cm had the highest prevalence of 100% while those in 7.0-7.9cm length class had the least prevalence of 60%. Females in the 10.0-10.9cm length class had the highest prevalence of81.82% while those in 9.0-9.9cm length class had the least prevalence of 50% (P<0.05). Males in 101-120g weight class had thehighest prevalence of 100% while those in the 61-80g weight class had the least prevalence of 63.64%. Females in 141-160gweight class had the highest prevalence of 100%while those in the weight classes of 41-60g, 61-80g and 81-100g had the leastprevalence of 75% and the differences were statistically significant.(P<0.05). All the helminths exhibited site preferences exceptone nematode, Amplicaecum africanum, recovered from rectum, intestine and stomach of both male and female toads.Parasite abundance was variable from one toad size class to another. It appeared that there was a general tendency for theprevalences to increase with increase in size of the host.