Abstract:
Characterization of the helminth parasites of wild fish has a considerable importance from the point of view of hygiene and public health, as well as from its taxonomic interest. To study the pathogenecity of parasites in the field of fisheries, require detail knowledge of the parasites inhabiting localities involved. Present study aimed to investigate the intestinal nematodes from the Puntius species inhabiting Nilwala river basin, Sri Lanka and to evaluate their population levels in host populations. Eight host fish species were surveyed and two spirurid nematodes, Camallanus fotedari from Puntius dorsalis and P. titteya and Rhabdochona sarana from P. filamentosus and P. sarana, were recovered. C. fotedari was found inhabiting in low infection levels in its two hosts, and it, however had a relatively high preference to P. dorsalis (20%) than P. titteya (4.2%). Of the two host species of R. sarana, high prevalence, mean intensity and abundance were reported in P. filamentosus (syn. Dawkinsia singhala) compared with those of in P. sarana (syn. Systomus sarana). Occurrence of these two spirurid nematode, C. fotedari and R. sarana, parasitizing in wild fresh water fishes is a new records to Sri Lanka.
