Faunal Parasitic Survey of the African Palm Weevil Larva (<i>Rhynchophorus phoenicis</i>) in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

The nutritious viability of the African palm weevil has made it an excellent choice to ameliorate food security in rural communities. Therefore, protecting the environment in such a way to diminish parasitic contamination of the ecosystem can boost survival of the edible larva and improve nutrition in rural communities. This study survey parasitic organisms associated with the African palm weevil and summitted that the African palm weevil larva is vulnerable to parasitic organisms, both insects feeding and zoonotic. The dependent of the larva on organic matter for life substance constitute a critical feature predisposing the larva to diverse parasitic organisms. The larva sampled in this study 86 was gotten from rural palm wine tappers. The formalin ether sedimentation method was employed for parasitological analysis of the edible larva. A total of 31 parasitic organism were reported in this study, unevenly distributed across the sampled communities. The parasites were Steinernema africanum was 5 (16.1%) and Heterorhabditis Species had 9 (29.0). Other parasitic organism reported were Fasciola species 7 (22.5%), Taenia specie 6 (19.4%) and Chiomastrix mensneli 4(12.9%). The assemblage of both insect parasitic and zoonotic parasites in the edible larva depict threat to the safety of the larva and zoonotic risk to consumers.