Diversity and Infection Patterns of Parasites in Synodontis Schall from Taylor Creek, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Synodontis schall is an important freshwater fish species that supports artisanal fisheries across many African inland waters and is susceptible to infections by a variety of fish parasites. This study investigated the prevalence, mean intensity, diversity, and infection patterns of parasites infecting S. schall from Taylor Creek, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Thirty fish specimens were collected between April and December 2024 and examined using standard parasitological procedures. Recovered parasites were identified morphologically, and prevalence, mean intensity, and Shannon–Wiener diversity were determined. The relationship between parasite burden and host biometrics was evaluated using Spearman's rank correlation. Four parasite taxa were recovered: Camallanus sp., Clinostomum sp., Hexamita sp., and Procamallanus sp. Overall parasite prevalence was 56.7% (95% CI: 39.2–72.6%), with a mean intensity of 6.9 parasites per infected fish; no fish showed co-infection with more than one parasite taxon. The parasite community had a Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H′) of 1.24 — close to the maximum value of 1.39 possible for four taxa — reflecting low species richness but high evenness (J′ = 0.90) among the taxa recovered. Parasite burden was not significantly correlated with total length or body weight (p > 0.05). These findings provide baseline parasitological data for S. schall in Taylor Creek, a freshwater ecosystem for which such information has previously been unavailable.