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New PhD student

Peter starts his PhD in Evolutionary Fish Parasitology

Nestory Peter Gabagambi has started his PhD study in evolutionary fish parasitology. In his study Peter will focus on the interaction between a tapeworm and its fish host in Lake Nyasa/Malawi.

Peter studying fish bones with a microscope
Peter studying weberian ossicles from cyprinids

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Nestory Peter Gabagambi from Tanzania has started his PhD project at UiB. We know Peter from before as he took his MSc degree at UiB a few years back. His PhD on evolutionary fish parasitology is supervised by Professor Arne Skorping (principal supervisor) and Dr. Mwita Chacha (co-supervisor). Here is the project in Peter's own words:

In this project, I will study the infestation effect of a tapeworm Ligula intestinalis on a biology and ecology in a fish host Engraulicypris sardella in Lake Nyasa/Malawi. The E. sardella fishery is of importance to the economy of Tanzania and a crucial source of protein to the local communities around the coastline of the lake.

However, recently this lake has been invaded by this parasite that could be a potential threat to the fisheries of E. sardella. In this project, I will record the prevalence and distribution of this parasite and I will explore a couple of hypothesises that might help us to understand how we can control this parasite lake wide.

See also this article by Peter and his colleagues:

Msafiri, A., K. Kwendwa, P. G. Nestory, and M. Alistidia. 2014. Assessment of the effects of plerocercoid larvae of Ligula intestinalis (Cestoda) on Engraulicypris sardella (Cyprinidae) from northern Lake Nyasa/Malawi/Niasa. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management 17:90–96. doi: 10.1080/14634988.2014.875444.