Comparative analysis of the population growth and damage of Dermestes maculatus on three smoked fish species

Worldwide fish is recognized as an indispensable source of protein. The substantial loss of stored fish is due to pest invasion and infection by some pathogenic organisms. In this study, laboratory experiments were performed to investigate the population dynamics of Dermestes maculatus (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) and its damage to smoked Clariasgariepinus Burchell, Tilapia niloticus Linnaeus, and Synodontisnigrita Cuvier in storage beneath ambient environmental factors. Recently, in Nigeria, large-scale aquaculture businesses are becoming more and more appreciated as they require to meet the high demands of fish consumers across the West African geopolitical areas. This experiment was carried out using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), with each fish species replicated three times. The D. maculatus populations on different days after the invasion and individual damage to each fish species were analyzed using ANOVA, and differences in mean values were corrected and separated using LSD at less than a 5% level of probability. The D. maculatus population was significantly higher in S. nigrita> T. niloticus> C. gariepinus. The rise in the population of D. maculatus and the damage caused to each fish species increased with increasing days after the invasion. Substantial damage was recorded on S. nigrita> C. gariepinus> T. niloticus. Summarily, there has been a positive significant correlation between the population of D. maculatus and the extent of damage recorded on the 3-fish species recorded.