A PRELIMINARY SURVEY OF THE RELIIIIINTH FISH PARASITES iN IMO RIVER By

A preliminary survey of the helminth fish parasites was can ied out in Imo River (around Umungvva VillagO. A total of 191 fishes belonging to 16 genera were examined and only 13.0% were infested with various species of helminth pal asites which is a low percentage of infection. The follovving helminth parasites were recorded: Wen yonia Villa Kai, * Wenyonia sp., Procamallanus keviconchus; Procamallanus sp., Sprionoura congolense; Siiironoura sp., Cucullanus sp. and Serradacnitis serrate. It vvas found thattleiminth parasites showed some degree of specificity in their distribution within their fish hosts. This specificity could be as a result of the physiochemical and physiolo-gical factors operating in the gut such as pH, Osmotic tension, Oxygen tension and Nutrient!evels. The results also revealed that age and sex influence helminth parasites infections in fishes