Executive Summary Major Research Project
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Transcript of Executive Summary Major Research Project
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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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