Distribution of Contracaecum(Nematoda: Anisakidae) larvae in freshwater fish from the northern regions of South Africa

A total of 1 847 fishes (16 species) from 14 reservoirs in northern and north-eastern regions of South Africa were collected and examined for larval Contracaecumspp. between 2005 and 2013. This study, the first to examine several potential second intermediate hosts, found Clarias gariepinus, Coptodon rendalli, Cyprinus carpio, Hydrocynus vittatus, Labeobarbus marequensis, Marcusenius macrolepidotus, Micropterus salmoides, Oreochromis mossambicusand Schilbe intermediusinfected with the third-stage larvae. Coptodon rendalli, Marcusenius macrolepidotusand Micropterus salmoidesare new host records for South Africa. A generalised linear model identified locality as the main factor affecting parasite burden.