SEASONAL VARIATIONS IN PREVALENCE OF ECTOPARASITIC INFESTATION IN INDIAN MAJOR CARPS AT BALRAMPUR, U.P., INDIA

The present investigation was conducted during April 2019 to March 2020 to find out the seasonal variation in prevalence of ectoparasites of Indian major carps. Total 10 species of ectoparasites were collected from 360 fishes. Out of ten, three belong to Myxozoan (Myxobolus sp., Thelohannellus sp. and Henneguya sp.), three Ciliophporans (Trichodina sp., Tripertiella sp. and Ichthyophthirus sp.), two Monogeneans (Dactylogyrus sp. and Gyrodactylus sp.) and two Crustaceans (Ergasilus sp., and Argulus sp.). Among the different groups of ectoparasites, Myxozoan has shown highest prevalence (19.91%) throughout the year followed by Ciliophorans (17.31%), Crustaceans (9.63%) and Monogenean (1.95%). Among the ectoparasites, Myxobolus sp. is the most prevalent ectoparasites followed by Trichodina sp., Thelohannellus sp., Tripertiella sp. and Argulus sp. It was observed that the infection was the maximum during winter, moderate in summer and minimum in monsoon season.