An investigation was conducted into the parasitic infection of an indigenous cichlid, Oreochromis mossambicus, collected seasonally from the Nwanedi-Luphephe dams of the Limpopo River System from July 2007 to April 2009. Of 157 host specimens examined, 115 (73.25%) were infected by at least one gill parasite. In all, 1565 monogenean specimens were collected, belonging to five different species and two genera: Cichlidogyrus (C. halli, C. sclerosus, C. tilapiae and C. dossoui) and Scutogyrus (S. longicornis). Infracommunities were poor, with only 27 (17.20%) hosts harbouring four of the five species observed. Cichlidogyrus halli was the dominant species, with a prevalence of 73.25%. Prevalence values for each of the other four species were less than 50%. The mean intensities for each of the five species were low ( < 8 parasites/host). The parasite abundance and intensity levels were not influenced by either the sex or the size of the host. The abundance of all parasite species except for S. longicornis exhibited seasonal fluctuations, reaching peaks in winter and summer. The spatial distribution of each parasite was studied on different regions of the gill, and positive associations among some species were revealed.

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The present study deals with the survey of monogeneans from Schilbe intermedius Rüppell, 1832 (silver catfish). Surveys were carried out at six localities in the northern region of South Africa where fish were collected and examined for monogenean gill parasites. There are presently no records of monogeneans from this fish species from South Africa. Fourteen monogenean species of Schilbetrema Paperna and Thurston, 1968 and two species of Schilbetrematoides Kritsky and Kulo, 1992 have been recorded from African schilbeids. Three species of the Schilbetrema were recorded during this study with variation in infestation: Schilbetrema quadricornis Paperna and Thurston, 1968 from all localities; Schilbetrema acornis Paperna and Thurston, 1968 from four localities; Schilbetrema undinula Kritsky and Kulo, 1992 recorded from one locality.