Appraisal of the Economic Activities of Termites: A Review

Termites can be found through out the world largely in the tropical and sub-tropical countries. They are social insects, feeding on cellulosic materials and live in colonies. Termites comprise the Order Isoptera with six families, 170 genera and 2600 species, of which six species are present in Nigeria. The most striking aspects of termites is their destructive tendency. They feed on wood indiscriminately, and tend to destroy timber and other wooden materials of importance to man, and this brought them into direct competition with man. However, their beneficial aspect to man is very significant. In most countries, where termites exist in abundance they are edible. Their burrowing within the soil increases the rate of percolation of water into the soil, thereby promoting water absorbent of the soil. Their feeding habit includes decomposition of dead trees, and incorporation into the soil, mineral nutrients of these trees. Man in response to the destructive activities of termites, developed various controlled methods towards them, which include the use of pesticides such as DDT ( Dichloro Diphenyl Trichloroethane), BHC ( Benzene Hexachloride ), Aldrin, Dieldrin, soil barrier termiticides, treated zone termiticides, dust and fumigant, and, non chemical control methods such as mud tube removal, debris removal, pathogenic fungi, mechanical barriers, heat, high voltage electricity or electrocution and wood replacement. The control of termites however, does not seek to totally exterminate them, but to bring their activities to a manageable level. The objective of this paper is to appraise the economic activities of termites

Some Preliminary Phytochemical Screening and Assessment of Four Solvents Extracts of Button Weed ( Borreria verticillata )

Borreria vertcillata is a woody perennial shrub with false-button weedy herb belonging to the family (Rubiaceae), used for treating/curing various forms of diseases across the world since ancient times. Qualitative phytochemical screening of Borreria vertcillata pulverized whole plant was carried out using four different solvent extracts (N-hexane, chloroform, ethyl-acetate and methanol). The phytochemicals screeened contained alkaloids, triterpenes, flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, saponnins, anthraquinones and steroids. The extracts were then screened for the presence of some phytochemicals such as alkaloids, anthraquinones, saponnins, steroids, terpenes, flavonoids, tannins and glycosides. All the extracts contained alkaloids, triterpenes and glycosides present but flavonoids, saponnins and tannins only present in ethyl acetate and methanol while anthraquinones and steroids were totally absent from the extracts .Of all the extracts Ethyl acetate extracts had the most influential effects on pathogenic organisms such as Culex quinquefasciatus , Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli and Candidas albica

Helminth parasites of <i>Clarias gariepinus</i> (Teugels) in Zaria, Nigeria

A total of 240 Clarias gariepinus (Teugels) were randomly purchased from fish landings in Sabon-gari market, Zaria. The fish were examined parasitologically for gastrointestinal parasites. Five species of helminth parasites comprising 3 cestodes, 1 nematode and 1 acanthocephala were isolated from the fish. The cestodes and their prevalence were Anomotaenia sp. (2.5%), Monobothrium sp. (13.33%) and Polyonchobothrium clariae (1.67%). The nematode, Procamallanus laevionchus and the acanthocephalan, Neoechinorhynchus rutili had a prevalence of 0.83% and 0.83% respectively. Majority of the parasites were found in the intestine. Infection was limited to fish with length ranging from 30.0 – 39.9 cm (prevalence: 15.83%; mean intensity: 3.78) and 40.0 – 49.9 cm (prevalence: 3.33%; mean intensity: 2.5) Fish specimens that were lighter in weight (150.0 – 299.9 g) were free of infection, but those found with parasites weighed between 350.0 – 399.0 g (prevalence, 7.5%) and 450.0 – 500.0 g (prevalence 6.67%). There was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) in the infection of the male and female C. gariepinus. The study highlights the importance of changing feeding habit of C. gariepinus with age on the prevalence and intensity of gastrointestinal parasites, and parasitised male fish have lower condition factor than unparasitised ones. Key Words: Helminth, parasites, Clarias gariepinus, Zaria. Journal of Aquatic Sciences Vol.19(2) 2004: 71-7