Abstract
Over a period of five years parasitological surveys were carried out on the freshwater fish fauna in the eastern Caprivi which included the upper Zambesi River, a section of the Chobe and Kwando Rivers, and vast swampy areas. This area is well known for its wide variety of indigenous fish and has so far not been influenced in any way by introduced alien fish species. In these surveys 45 different fish species of 12 families were examined. This paper reports on the parasites of the generaTrichodina andHemitrichodina of the eastern Caprivi. A total of 15 species of parasites were recorded of which nine are new species described here-in. The list of host records of known species are expanded and an evaluation of host specificity based on information recorded in this survey as well as previously published data from southern Africa is provided.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Basson, L. & VanAs, J.G. (1987) Trichodinid (Ciliophora: Peritricha) gill parasites of freshwater fish in South Africa. Systematic Parasitology,9, 143–151.
Basson, L., VanAs, J.G. & Paperna, I. (1983) Trichodinid ectoparasites of cichlid and cyprinid fishes in South Africa and Israel. Systematic Parasitology,5, 245–257.
Basson, L. & VanAs, J.G. (1989) Differential diagnosis of the genera in the family Trichodinidae (Ciliophora: Peritrichida) with the description of a new genus ectoparasitic on freshwater fish from southern Africa. Systematic Parasitology,13, 153–160.
Basson, L. & VanAs, J.G. (1991) Trichodinids (Ciliophora: Peritrichia) from a calanoid copepod and catfish from South Africa with notes on host specificity. Systematic Parasitology,18, 147–158.
Brandtde, W., VanAs, J.G., Schoonbee, H.J. & Hamilton-Attwell, V.L. (1981) The occurrence and treatment of bothiocephalosis in the common carp,Cyprinus carpio in fish ponds with notes on its presence in the largemouth yellowfishBarbus kimberleyensis from the Van Dam, Transvaal. Water S.A.,7, 35–42.
Bruton, M.N. & VanAs, J.G. (1986) Faunal invasions of aquatic ecosystems in southern Africa, with suggestions for their management. In: MacDonald, I.A.W., Kruger, F.J. & Ferrar, A.A. (Eds). The ecology and management of biological invasions. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 344 pp.
Kruger, I., VanAs, J.G. & Saayman, J.E. (1983) Observations on the occurrence of the fish louseArgulus japonicus Thiele, 1900 in the western Transvaal. South African Journal of Zoology,18, 408–410.
Lom, J. (1958) A contribution to the systematics and morphology of endoparasitic trichodinids from amphibians, with a proposal of uniform specific characteristics. Journal of Protozoology,5, 251–263.
Poynton, S.L. & Lom, J. (1989) Some ectoparasitic trichodinids from Atlantic cod,Gadus morhua L., with a description ofTrichodina cooperi n. sp. Canadian Journal of Zoology,67, 1793–1800.
Stein, G.A. (1979) New data on parasitic ciliates (Peritricha, Urceolariidae) of fishes of the basins of Pacific Ocean. Acta Protozoologica,18, 531–552.
VanAs, J.G. & Basson, L. (1987) Host specificity of trichodinid ectoparasites of freshwater fish. Parasitology Today,3, 88–90.
VanAs, J.G. & Basson, L. (1989) A further contribution to the taxonomy of the Trichodinidae (Ciliophora: Peritrichia) and a review of the taxonomnic status of some ectoparasitic trichodinids. Systematic Parasitology,14, 157–179.
Van derWaal, B.C.W. & Skelton, P.H. (1984) Check list of fishes of Caprivi. Madoqua,13, 303–320.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Van As, J.G., Basson, L. Trichodinid ectoparasites (Ciliophora: Peritrichida) of freshwater fishes of the Zambesi River System, with a reappraisal of host specificity. Syst Parasitol 22, 81–109 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00009603
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00009603