A PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE GASTROINTESTINAL HELMINTH PARASITES OF TOADS (AMIETOPHYRNUS REGULARIS)

Description

A PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE GASTROINTESTINAL HELMINTH PARASITES OF TOADS (AMIETOPHYRNUS REGULARIS)

ABSTRACT

Amietophyrnus regularis a synonym of Bufo regularis is an amphibian in the family Bufonidae.Amietophyrnus regularis is commonly known as the African common toad in English (IUCN, 2012). The species which are also called true toads have fat bodies with warts, and can live in drier climates while most frogs usually live in or near water (Nworah and Olorunfemi, 2011). They are widespread in the tropics, especially in Savannas, montane, grassland, forests and are beneficial animals to have in the home garden, as well as on farms. Toads play roles in nutrients cycles and as environmental indicators. Nutrients are recycled from aquatic systems to terrestrial when the toads enter the land after metamorphosis. Tadpoles, the swimming larval forms of toads and frogs that hatch from fertilized eggs in water, are important food source for fish and other aquatic organisms (Towle, 1989; New World Encyclopaedia, 2008).