SOME ASPECTS OF BIOLOGY AND DIGESTIVE ENZYMES ASSAY IN THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT OF CHRYSICHTHYS SPECIES IN LOWER OGUN RIVER, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA
Keywords:
Condition factor, Degree of fullness, Enzyme activity, Growth pattern, and Lipase.Abstract
Fish and other aquatic foods represent an important source of food to man, highly rich in most essential nutrients such as protein and vitamins. Aspects of the biology and digestive enzymes assay in the gastrointestinal tract of two congeneric Chrysichthys species were analyzed from July to December 2019 in the lower Ogun river, Akomoje, Ogun State, Nigeria. A total of fifty-three each of Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus and Chrysichthys auratus caught with traps were used during the study. Data were statistically analyzed. Mean standard length, body weight, stomach girth and gape width for Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus and Chrysichthys auratus were 18.39±4.46cm and 15.07±2.36cm; 174.29±102.71g and 88.16±37.62g; 11.9±2.94cm and 10.22±1.75cm; and 1.89±1.09cm and 1.68±0.29cm, respectively. Mean sex ratio in favour of the males were 1:0.36 and 1:0.33, respectively which were significantly (p< 0.05) different from the hypothesized ratio of 1:1. C. nigrodigitatus and C. auratus both exhibited a negative allometric growth pattern during the study period with a b-value of 2.97 and 2.32; mean condition factors were 1.33 and 0.92 for C. nigrodigitatus and C. auratus, respectively. The prey items found in the stomach of these congeneric species were similar and comprised thirty-three species which can be categorised into seven groups: Algae (8.5% and 11.8%,), Protozoans (22.1% and 18.9%), Desmids (5.3% and 6.3%), Diatoms (13.5% and 11.9%), Rotifers (4.8% and 6.7%), Invertebrates (8.4% and 0.8%) and Crustaceans (21.2% and 26.3%) respectively. Other prey items include detritus, mud/sand, fish parts and other unidentified items. Protozoans (22.1%) and Crustaceans (21.2%) dominated the food items for C. nigrodigitatus and C. auratus while detritus (2.13%) and invertebrates (0.84%) constituted the least component of food items for the two fish species, respectively. The specific activities of some enzymes (proteases, carbohydrase, and lipase) along the gut region (stomach, mid-gut and hind-gut) of these two Chrysichthys species were also studied; the mean values of population of these enzymes were significantly (P<0.05) different across the alimentary tract. The distribution pattern of the enzymes showed that both C. nigrodigitatus and C. auratus were capable of digesting protein, carbohydrate, and lipid components of their food. These findings further corroborate their trophic niche as indicated in their feeding habits. Further studies are recommended on the seasonal distribution of enzyme activities to ascertain the nutritional physiology of these economically important fish species in the study area.
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