A Review on Trematode Parasite Infection of Amphibians in India
Voleentina Devi Athokpam *
Department of Zoology, Ghanapriya Women’s College, Dhanamanjuri University, Central Jail Rd, Old Lambulane Rd, Imphal 795001, Manipur, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Amphibian plays an important role in the well being of their natural environment by balancing and maintaining the ecological food chain. Most of their body parts have great medicinal value and are used by several sections of the society. So, they have been continuously exploited for food and medicine which in turn their population are declining. The helminthic parasite infections in amphibians have also impacted the host population in the natural habitat. The objective of this study is to review trematode parasite infection in amphibian host in India. Keywords such as trematode, amphibian, parasites spectrum and some names of amphibian’s parasite were used for searching the information from public database. It was found that amphibian hosts belonging to 14 genera were infected with trematode parasites belonging to 16 genera. Among the host, Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis was infected with maximum trematode species of 13 genera. Out of this, two genera namely Cathaemasia and Proalarioides have zoonotic potential, with their infective metacercarial larval stage encysting in the host muscle. The data available in the public domain are from the regions of Haryana, Jammu, Kerela, Maharastra, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Present studies revealed need for more exhaustive analysis of trematode infection in amphibian host from every section of the nation.
Keywords: Trematode, amphibian, infection, India, parasite infection, pest control