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One of the most widely distributed African freshwater fish is the African sharptooth catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell) that is naturally distributed in 8 of the 10 ichthyofaunal regions of this continent. Clarias gariepinus is a highly valued and cheap staple to local communities and an ideal aquaculture species. Consequently, interest in the parasitic communities of C. gariepinus has increased as parasites may accidentally be ingested by humans when eating uncooked fish or can be introduced into culture systems through fish stocks supplied from local rivers which affect yield, growth, and marketability. This review provides an overview of the ∼107 metazoan parasite species known to parasitise C. gariepinus in Africa and their general life cycles, morphology, paratenic and post-cyclic infections, and the biogeography and validity of records are discussed. A brief overview is included on the application of some of these parasites in environmental studies and their link to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global invasive anguillid gill parasite Pseudodactylogyrus anguillae (Yin and Sproston, 1948) has only recently been documented from eels in South Africa. As there is no known eel trade in South Africa, the source of introduction of this parasite has been debated, and its status as an alien parasite was rendered uncertain. We report on the first infection of Pseudodactylogyrus anguillae from the giant mottled eel Anguilla marmorata from the Phongolo River (South Africa) using classic morphological and molecular methodologies and clarify the introduction status category of this parasite as alien and invasive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ergasilids are external parasites typically found on the gills and fins of their hosts. In Africa, 19 species of Ergasilus von Nordmann, 1832 are reported. Of those, Ergasilus mirabilis Oldewage & van As, 1987 is one of the least host-specific, with a wide distribution range in southern Africa. As with most species in the genus, genetic data are not available to support the morphological placement of this species within the genus. Specimens representing E. mirabilis were obtained from the gills of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) collected from several localities in South Africa and Zambia. Fish were dissected and gills screened using standard techniques. Following a comprehensive morphological study using light and scanning electron microscopy, additional morphological characters are reported. Furthermore, novel data on partial 18S, 28S (rRNA), and COI (mtDNA) gene regions are presented. This is the first integrative study on the morphology of E. mirabilis with supporting genetic data, as well as new distribution records from the KuShokwe Pan in the Phongolo River floodplain and the Vaal River in South Africa, and from the Barotse floodplain in Zambezi River, Zambia. An updated overview is provided for the species of Ergasilus from Africa, including hosts, distribution, and genetic information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]