ABSTRACT

A survey of the helminth fauna of ground dwelling anurans was conducted in Okomu Rubber Plantation an altered, monoculture habitat in the rainforest zone, in Ovia South-West, Edo State, Nigeria, in August, 2023. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the anuran species inhabiting the Okomu Rubber Plantation, (a monoculture plantation) and the helminth parasite species infecting them.  A total of twelve anurans were sampled using visual and acoustic encounter sampling techniques. The anurans examined belong to two genera: Bufonidae and Ptychadenidae and three species including: Sclerophys maculata, Ptychadena longirostris and Ptychadena oxyrhynchus. Parasites recovered were from the small intestine, large intestine and the lungs. Three helminth parasite species were recovered from the twelve (12) examined specimens. Parasites recovered include: Mesocoelium monodi (Digenia), Cosmocerca ornata and Rhabdias africanus (Nematoda).  Of the twelve (12) specimens examined, nine (9) were infected giving an overall prevalence of 75% in Ptychadena spp. while prevalence in Sclerophys maculata was 58.33%. with a mean intensity of 3.42.  The most common parasite in the anurans examined was Cosmocerca ornata with prevalence value of 58.3%, followed by Rhabdias africanus (50%). The least encountered parasite was Mesocoelium monodi (16.67%).  Mesocoelium monodi was the only trematode encountered and it infected Ptychadena longirostris and Ptychadena oxyrhynchus, with a prevalence rate of 16.67%. All the parasites encountered in this study have been reported from the rainforest zone and other ecological zones by other authors. There is the need to collect more specimens from the study area over a longer period.