UGC Major Research Project

Investigations on Helminth Parasites of Freshwater Fish

Fauna of Muzaffarnagar (with special reference to

the Morphological and Ecological aspects)

No. F-34/470-2008 (SR), Dated 29th Dec 2008Period from 01-02-2009 to 31-01-2012

Executive Summary

Prepared for

University Grants CommissionBahadur Shah Zafar Marg

New Delhi-110 002

By:-Dr. Yougesh Kumar

Principal Investigator

-2-

Department of Zoology, D.A.V. College, Muzaffarnagar (U.P.) PIN-251001(Affiliated to C.C.S. University, Meerut)

Executive Summary of the Project

This is the Executive Summary for a Major Research Project

No. F-34-470/2008(SR) Dated 29 Dec 2008 managed

and coordinated by Dr. Yougesh Kumar, Principal

Investigator and Asstt. Prof., Department of Zoology, D. A. V.

College, Muzaffarnagar (U.P.) India. The study commenced

from 1st Feb 2009 till 31st Jan 2012, and incorporated

research undertaken by PI and his team and in consultation

with Prof. H. S. Singh, Department of Zoology, C.C.S.

University, Meerut. The study was part of the Morphology

-3-

and Ecological aspects of Helminth Parasites of freshwater

fishes inhabiting Muzaffarnagar (29.28 N, 77.44 E) region

and was funded by University Grants Commission, New

Delhi.

The Major Research Project entitled “Investigations

on Helminth Parasites of Freshwater Fish Fauna of

Muzaffarnagar (with special reference to the

Morphological and Ecological aspects.)” was aimed

with the objectives such as:-

1. To survey various economically important

fishes for helminth parasites.

2. To collect various helminth parasites that

infect freshwater fish species of economic

importance in Muzaffarnagar region.

3. To study the morphology and identify various

helminth parasites harboring freshwater fishes

with the help of light microscopy.

-4-

4. To study specific composition of helminth

parasites harbouring freshwater fishes.

5. To perform ecological studies in relation to

host and parasite.

The present work deals with the systematics of helminth

parasites of fishes at District Muzaffarnagar, supported by

their ecological aspects and statistical observations. It also

deals with their population dynamics and seasonal

periodicity. Various specimens of fish hosts of 10 different

genera were examined during the course of this study. Out

of these only five viz., Clarias batrachus, Heteropneustes

fossilis, Channa punctatus, Pangasius upiensis and Mystus

seenghala were found to harbour helminth parasites.

However, different workers have reported helminth

parasites in other hosts such as Channa striatus, Channa

marulius, Catla catla, Puntius muzaffarpurensis and Labeo

rohita but we didn’t find infection in these hosts at our

place.

-5-

Clove oil was used as an anaesthetic for different fishes to

make them senseless for easy handling for experimental

purposes/surgical procedures. Once a fish had reached a

stage where it did not react to handling, it was removed

from anaesthetic bath, and fish length (mm) measured and

recorded quickly

The project includes morphology of helminth parasites

supported by camera lucida drawings and photomicrographs

with motic microscope. All figures of helminth parasites are

original, drawn by the PF herself, for which she is solely

responsible. It includes the description of 14 species of

helminth parasites belonging to five classes viz.,

Nematoda, Cestoda, Digenea, Monogenea and

Acanthocephala and nine families. The detail is presented

in tabular form. Observations and Discussion are presented

separately for each species. A comparative account of

measurements of various body parts of redescribed species

-6-

with those described by earlier workers is given in tabular

form.

The project deals with the statistical observations which are

based on the population dynamics and seasonal periodicity

of these helminth parasites. A detail observation for the

prevalence, mean abundance, mean intensity, Simpson’s

index, Dispersion index, Chi-square test, Spearman’s rank

correlation, Shannon’s index, Pearson’s linear correlation,

‘G’ log-- likelihood test, Mann-Whitney ’s test and Student’s

‘t’ test were worked. Whole data is analysed statistically and

is discussed in detail. Seasonal variations in occurrence of

parasites have been correlated with environmental factors.

The study of population dynamics and statistical observation

is presented host-wise and was conducted on 10 fish hosts.

Some hosts were not found in large numbers. So, it is

difficult to draw any conclusion on the rate of infection and

population dynamics of the helminth parasites infecting

these hosts. So, the observations are presented for helminth

-7-

parasites infecting Clarias batrachus, Heteropneustes

fossilis, Channa punctatus, Pangasius upiensis and Mystus

seenghala. Month wise observations of Clarias batrachus,

Heteropneustes fossilis and Channa punctatus, are

presented in the form of tables and graphs. But in Pangasius

upiensis and Mystus seenghala month wise observations are

presented only for one year because during the later years

further observations were not made due to the unavailability

of these fish hosts.

The data collected are analysed statistically for seasonal

variation. Annual cycles are presented in Clarias batrachus,

Heteropneustes fossilis, Channa punctatus, Pangasius

upiensis and Mystus seenghala. In the present study, it was

observed that the rate of infection of monogeneans was

higher during winter and lower during summer. In overall

study the infection of digeneans, nematodes and

acanthocephalans are not found throughout the year, so we

can’t explain the seasonal variation. In case of cestodes, the

fishes become infected throughout the year.

-8-

Diversity is measured by Simpson’s index (C) and Shannon’s

index. In Simpson’s index, the helminth parasites are not

dominant throughout the year (dominance is accepted when

C >0.25). Shannon’s index is low in all fishes. In Dispersion

index, clumped pattern of dispersion of helminth parasites

are found in all fishes. Chi-square test at different degrees of

freedom is significantly and insignificantly related with fish

and parasites. The “G” log- likelihood test (using the 2x2

contingency table) at different degrees of freedom also

show significant and insignificant relationships between fish

examined and infected. In all fishes Pearson’s linear

correlation is perfectly positively correlated between host

standard length and parasite prevalence. Mann-Whitney’s

test is not significantly correlated with the effects of host

sex in the prevalence and abundance of helminth parasites.

Student’s ‘t’ test is significantly correlated with the diversity

of male and female host.

-9-

Results achieved were analysed and being analyzed and are

presented in the form of tables, sketches and pictures. This

reports draws together the knowledge gained from the

individual research tasks, and provides input for to

ascertain- the health states of fishes, as helminth infection

appears to be the physiological indicator of health of not

only fishes but also all vertebrates; for designing the

protocol for the production of drugs for different ailments for

which fishes suffer, to understand the biotic potential of a

water-body where the fish is living and will substantially add

to the existing knowledge about piscine helminthtology.

-10-