Seasonal Study Of Parasitic Infestation Of Nematode Parasite Of Fresh Water Catfish Rita Rita In Gomti Riverine Ecosystem, Lucknow, India

India is the third largest fish-producing country in the world. Large portions of the population continue to rely on aquaculture and fishing for sustenance, nutrition, financial stability, and means of living. From fiscal year 2015-16 to 2020-21, the fisheries sector in India has demonstrated a noteworthy growth rate of 9.03% (Constant Price: 2011-12) (Annual Report 2022-2023). Fishes are consumed by many peoples as source of food due to their nutritive valve and delicious flesh. The health of fish populations could potentially be compromised when parasites infest aquatic animals. Research on population dynamics is necessary for understanding the dynamics of parasite infections in fish fauna and the diseases they cause. The prevalence and seasonal variation of the nematode parasite sp. infecting the freshwater catfish Rita rita from Gomti riverine ecosystem of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh is evaluated in the current study. To perform the population dynamics studies the Rita rita fishes were randomly sampled for the period of July 2021 to June 2022. A total of 420 fish were examined out of which 137 fish were found to be infected with nematode sp. with prevalence % of 32.61%. 197 nematode parasites were recovered from 137 infected fishes with a mean intensity of 1.43. In the study the female is found to be heavily infected with parasites as compared to males. With reference to the seasonal variation, the infection prevalence was seen highest in rainy season (40.07%), moderate in summers (32.86%) and lowest in winters (24.29%).