https://scialert.net International Journal of Zoological Research en-us Science Alert Wed, 10 Jun 2026 18:11:57 +0200 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 18:14:14 +0200 RssPublisher 0.2.0 beta https://scialert.net/images/logo.gif https://scialert.net 41 233 International Journal of Zoological Research Comparative Differences in Radula Characteristics of Schistosoma Snail Intermediate Host in the Forskalii Group Background and Objective: Snails in the forskalii group act as intermediate host of schistosomes and the availability of these snails in freshwater bodies increase the risk of schistosome infection. In tropical and sub-tropical countries, schistosome infection is still common among people living in rural and urban communities. Radular teeth of freshwater snails are often specific to a species or genus and are widely used for species identification. Hence, this study compared the radula structures of Bulinus species in the forskalii group with the aim of providing observable differences within the species. Materials and Methods: The snail species were collected from schistosome endemic rural areas and preserved in ethanol for this study. Shell morphometrics was measured using a Vernier caliper while permanent slides of the radulae were dissected and stained using Mallory. Descriptive statistics, One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and LSD post hoc tests were performed on shell characters. Results: The means shell length (mm) of B. camerunensis, B. senegalensis and B. forskalii were 5.8±0.9, 7.4±0.2 and 7.1±1.2, respectively. The radula of each species had a ratio of 18:17:1:17:18. The marginal teeth of B. forskalii possessed seven cusps, B. camerunensis possessed six cusps while B. senegalensis possessed twelve cusps. Conclusion: The differences observed in shell characteristics and radulae morphology in the three species could be used to differentiate these species in middle and low-income areas.]]> https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=ijzr.2022.1.7 10 June, 2026 Histopathological Assessment of Gill Tissues in Two Selected Clariid Species Sampled from Asa River, Kwara State, Nigeria Background and Objective: There is a need for sensitive bio-monitoring tools intoxicant impact assessment to indicate the effect of toxicants on fish health in polluted aquatic ecosystems. Histological aberrations were evaluated in Clarias buthupogon and Heterobranchus longifilis sampled from Asa River Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The fish required for this investigation were sampled from the downstream portion of the river which was chosen for their suspected levels of toxicants. A quantitative and qualitative histology-based health assessment protocol was employed to determine the adverse health effects in fish gills. Results: The most notable alterations were congestion of blood vessels, desquamation, swelling of pillar cells, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the gill epithelium. Epithelial lifting of the basement membrane was common in virtually all sampled fish species, while circulatory disturbances were slightly pronounced. Conclusion: However, the observed histological aberrations in the gill tissue could be due to increased concentrations of chemical pollutants in the water body. Therefore, proper assessment of the Asa River is necessary with strict vigilance because of ensuring the protection and conservation of the organisms therein.]]> https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=ijzr.2022.8.12 10 June, 2026