Helminth fauna and infection intensity of the rainbow lizard (Agama agama) in Northwest University Campuses, Kano, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25081/imrj.2026.v16.9834Keywords:
Agama agama, Helminths, Nematodes, Prevalence, Kano, NigeriaAbstract
Reptiles play critical ecological roles and are known to harbour diverse parasitic fauna, some with zoonotic implications. This study investigated the ecto-, endo-, and haemoparasites of the rainbow lizard (Agama agama) within Northwest University campuses in Kano, Nigeria. Thirty specimens (15 per campus) were examined between June and December 2024 using standard parasitological techniques. The overall infection prevalence was 100%. A total of 486 parasites were recovered, dominated by nematodes (97.9%) and few cestodes (2.1%). Four helminth species were identified: Strongyluris sp. (75.31%), Parapharyngodon sp. (20.58%), Thelandros sp. (2.06%), and Oochoristica sp. (2.06%). Lizards from the main campus exhibited a significantly higher mean intensity (24.53±16.50) than those from the city campus (7.87±3.87) (p<0.001). The findings confirm Agama agama as a reservoir host for multiple helminths with potential ecological and zoonotic implications.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Binta Abdullahi Yuguda, Habibu Maaruf Abdu, Mohammad Manjur Shah, Zainab Nura Nabegu, Zakiyya Ibrahim Muhammad
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