Trypanorhynchid cestodes of commercial inshore fishes of the West African coast

Abstract

A wide spectrum of fish hosts (45 species) in the Gulf of Guinea was examined for infestation with trypanorhynchid cestodes. The following trypanorhynchids were identified: Callitetrarhynchus gracilis, Grillotia perelica, Nybelinia sp., Otobothrium cysticum, O. dipsacum, Otobothrium sp., Poecilancistrum caryophyllum, Pterobothrium sp. and one unidentified species. The pattern of occurrence of Callitetrarhynchus gracilis has been used to draw conclusions on a possible four-host life cycle of the species, involving two obligatory teleost host fish species, small clupeids and large predatory fish. The most abundant parasite was O. cysticum, found in eight host fishes. In general most other species occurred in one host fish species only. -from Authors