A TRIAL OF COMMONEST FISH IN AFRICA IN CONTROL OF VECTOR TRANSMITTING Wuchereria bancropti INFECTION (Wuchereriasis or bancroftian flariasis)

Ahmed, U.A

Department of Biological Science,

Sule Lamido University, Kafin Hausa, Jigawa State, Nigeria

E-mail: uaa@jsu.edu.ng

ABSTRACT

Two trials were made in this study involving single adult T. zillii. In the first trial, T. zillii was supplied with solely five hundred mosquito larvae which it ate in fifty minutes without break. After twenty four hours, a period for a complete digestion in the fish, the second trial was conducted in which five hundred mosquito larvae supplemented with 20g of fresh Earthworm were supplied to the same fish which it finished eating in two hours fifty six minutes with a break of twenty three minutes. From this study, it was observed that one adult T. zillii can eat ten larvae of mosquito in one minute without a food supplement hence it is efficient predator of mosquito larvae. It is therefore recommended that T. zilli can be introduced to where mosquito breeds for control purposes and a further research on predatory preference among different mosquito species larvae by T. zillii.

Keywords: Africa, Fish, Filariasis, Trial, Vector