Histopathological changes of the intestine of the freshwater fish, Channa gachua (Hamilton, 1822) due to infection of metacercaria of trematode parasites

Channa gachua (HAMILTON, 1822) (Family: Channaidae) are considered to be the most delicious fish, is one of the fish that are naturally available and abundant in nature. The metacercariae of Azygia anguisticauda (Stafford, 1904) Bhalerao, 1942 are found infesting the intestine of these fishes tremendous. During present studies, the four layers of the intestine namely; serosa, muscualris layer, submucosa and mucosa were found severely affected. In T.S. of intestine of Channa gachua (HAMILTON, 1822), it has been observed that the Azygia anguisticauda (Stafford, 1904) Bhalerao, 1942 slowly damage to the intestinal villi, serosa layers, vacuolization in tunica muscularis and lamina propria which indicate that trematodes highly destruct to the host intestine.