Light and ultrastructural description of Meglitschia mylei n. sp. (myxozoa) from Myleus rubripinnis (Teleostei: Serrasalmidae) in the Amazon River system

Meglitschia mylei n. sp. found in the gall bladder of the teleostean fish Myleus rubripinnis (Serrasalmidae) from the middle Amazonian region of Brazil is described using light and transmission electron microscopy. The spores observed in the bile averaged 24.6±0.8 μm long, 8.7±0.4 μm wide and 5.1±0.3 μm thick and were strongly furcate and arcuate ∩-shaped composed of two symmetric equal-sized valves, up to ～70 nm thick. Each valve possessed one opposed tapering appendage, 20.1±0.7 μm long, oriented parallel towards the basal tip of the appendages and joined along a right suture line forming a thick strand. The strand goes around the central part of the spore, which in turn surrounds two equal and symmetric spherical polar capsules (PC), 2.1±0.3 μm in diameter, located at the same level. Each capsule contains a polar filament with five (rarely six) coils. The binucleate sporoplasm was irregular in shape, contained several sporoplasmosomes, ～175 nm in diameter and filled all the space of the two caudal appendages. Based on the arc shape of the spore with two tapering caudal appendages oriented to the basis of spores, on the number and position of the PC and of the polar filament coils and arrangements, and on the host specificity, we propose the name M. mylei n. sp. for this new myxozoan. Accordingly, this is the second described species of this genus.     

Myxobolus desaequalis n. sp. (Myxozoa,Myxosporea), parasite of the Amazonian freshwater fish,Apteronotus albifrons (Teleostei,Apteronotidae)

Myxobolus desaequalis n. sp. is described from the gill lamellae of the freshwater fish Apteronotus albifrons, collected in the Amazon River, near the city of Salvaterra, Brazil. Large spherical plasmodia filled with disporic pansporoblasts and spores were observed. Ellipsoidal to pyriform spores are 18.3 microm length x 11.2 microm width x 4.4 microm thickness. The anterior end of the spores contain two extremely unequal pyriform polar capsules measuring: (larger): 11.2 microm length, 4.9 microm width, and an isofilar polar filament with 11 to 12 turns obliquely to the longitudinal axis; (smaller): 4.6 microm length, 2.8 microm width, and an isofilar polar filament with 4 to 5 turns, obliquely to the longitudinal axis.     

Ultrastructural data on the spore of Myxobolus maculatus n. sp. (phylum Myxozoa), parasite from the Amazonian fish Metynnis maculatus (Teleostei)

Light and electron microscopy studies of a myxosporean, parasitic in the intertubular interstitial tissue of the kidney of the freshwater teleost fish Metynnis maculatus Kner, 1860 (Characidae) from the lower Amazon River (Brazil), are described. We observed polysporic histozoic plasmodia delimited by a double membrane and with several pinocytic channels and containing several life cycle stages, including mature spores. The spore body was of pyriform shape and was 21.0 microm long, 8.9 microm wide and 7.5 microm thick. Elongated-pyriform polar capsules were of equal size (12.7 x 3.2 microm) and contained a polar filament with 14 or 15 coils. The spore features fit those of the genus Myxobolus. Densification of the capsular primordium matrix, which increased in density from the inner core outwards, differentiating at the periphery into small microfilaments measuring 45 nm each, and tubuli arranged in aggregates and dispersed within the capsular matrix of the mature spores, are described. Based on the morphological differences and specificity of the host, we propose the creation of a new species named Myxobolus maculatus n. sp.     

Glugea vincentiae n. sp. (Microsporidia: Glugeidae) infecting the Australian marine fish Vincentia conspersa (Teleostei: Apogonidae)

A parasite of the marine fish Vincentia conspersa was examined by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. This parasite develops in the subcutaneous tissue of the body and fins, forming spherical xenomas about 1-2 mm in diameter surrounded by a layer of amorphous material. The observed characteristics of the new parasite are in line with those of the other Glugea species; merogony takes place in the outer zone of the cytoplasm of the host cell, sporogony takes place in sporophorous vesicles, and mature spores are located in the central part of the xenoma. Meronts were cylindrical uninucleate or occasionally triradiate multinucleate, with plasmodia in direct contact with the host cytoplasm. Sporogonic plasmodia divided by multiple cleavage to produce sporoblast mother cells, which after binary fission became sporoblasts. Two types of spores were recognized, both uninucleate, i.e., ovoid or slightly ovoid microspores with a mean size of 5.1 x 2.2 microm and much less frequent as elongated oval macrospores with a mean size of 8.9 x 3.1 microm. The polar tube has between 12 and 14 coils arranged in 1, 2, or 3 layers. Taken together, these characteristics suggest that this microsporidian infecting V. conspersa is a new species of Glugea, which we have named Glugea vincentiae.     

Myxobolus spirosulcatus n. sp. (Myxosporea,Bivalvulida) infecting the bile duct of the yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata from Japan

Myxobolus spirosulcatus n. sp. (Myxosporea: Bivalvulida), infecting the cultured yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata, is described. M. spirosulcatus n. sp. was found in the bile duct of yellowtails collected in the southern part of Japan during June 1990. The plasmodium of the new species has various shapes and contains a vegetative form plus maturing and mature spores. Mature spores, on average, measure 8.9 m in length, 7.8 m in width and 6.7 m in thickness. The unique morphological characteristics of the new species are spiral furrows in the peripheral part of the spore valves.     

Myxobolus absonus sp. n. (Myxozoa: Myxosporea) parasitizing pimelodus maculatus (siluriformes: Pimelodidae), a South American freshwater fish

A new myxoporean species is described from a freshwater fish in Brazil. Myxobolus absonus sp. n. was found infecting Pimelodus maculatus captured in the river Piracicaba, State of S?o Paulo, Brazil. Cysts were found free in the opercular cavity. The spores are large (length--15.7 +/- 1.5 microns, width--10.2 +/- 0.7 microns; mean +/- S.D.) and oval in shape, with the anterior end slightly pointed. The spore valves are relatively thin, smooth, and asymmetrical in a frontal view. The polar capsules are pyriform in shape, and unequal in size; the largest are 6.4 +/- 0.7 microns long and 3.6 +/- 0.5 microns wide, while the smallest are 4.2 +/- 0.6 microns long and 2.5 +/- 0.5 microns wide.     

Ultrastructure of Myxobolus brycon n. sp. (Phylum Myxozoa), parasite of the piraputanga fish Brycon hilarii (Teleostei) from Pantanal (Brazil)

Light and electron microscopy studies of a myxosporean, parasitizing the gill filaments of the freshwater fish Brycon hilarii (Valenciennes, 1850) (Characidae) collected in the Paraguay River (18°49'S, 57°39'W) (Pantanal), Brazil, is described. This parasite produces spherical to ellipsoidal polysporic histozoic plasmodia (Pmd) (up to ～180 μm in diameter) delimited by a double membrane and with several pinocytic channels. The plasmodial cyst contained the youngest developmental stages at the cortical periphery and immature and mature spores more internally. The Pmd developed near the cartilaginous structure of the gill filament, forming a prominent deformation where the gill lamellae disappear. Pyriform spores measured 6.9±0.6 (range 6.5-7.2) μm long, 4.2±0.5 (range 3.9-4.8) μm wide, and 2.5±0.7 (range 1.9-2.8) μm thick. The spores composed of two equal shell valves (～70 nm thick), adhering together along the straight suture line, surrounded two equal symmetric and elongated to pyriform polar capsules (PC) 4.2±0.6 (range 3.8-4.7) × 1.9±0.6 (1.7-2.5) μm; each PC contained a coiled polar filament with eight or nine (rarely 10) turns and a binucleated sporoplasm cell. Dense irregular masses were observed among the polar filaments coils. An intercapsular appendix was not observed. The sporoplasm contained several globular sporoplasmosomes randomly distributed among an extensive rough endoplasmic reticulum system with numerous vesicles and cisternae. Based on the morphological and ultrastructural differences and specificity of the host, we establish the new species, Myxobolus brycon n. sp.     

Myxobolus shuifuensis sp. n. (Myxozoa: Myxobolidae) infecting the exotic mrigal Cirrhinus mrigala feral in China

Myxobolus species represents a group of cosmopolitan metazoan parasites commonly harbored in the farmed and wild fish populations. Here, a species of Myxobolus is found in the kidney of an exotic mrigal Cirrhinus mrigala feral in the Yangtze River and utilized for an integrative characterization. Ellipsoidal myxospores are measured at 15.68 ± 0.8 (13.93–17.11) × 11.42 ± 0.54 (10.34–12.3) × 7.94 ± 0.35 (7.58–8.5) μm in dimension. The polar capsules are pyriform, and unequal in size. The morphological and morphometric characteristics of the present isolates are distinct from those of other congeners. Molecularly, the pairwise comparison based on the SSU rDNA sequence indicates that the present amplicon does not match any sequences available in the GenBank database and shares the highest similarity of 92.12% to Myxobolus pavlovskii (MG520369). Accordingly, we propose a name Myxobolus shuifuensis sp. n. for the present isolates. Phylogenetical trees indicate an apparent host-associated phylogenetic pattern. M. shuifuensis sp. n. groups loosely with other Myxobolus species isolated from Cirrhinus fish. Insead, it forms a sister clade to some myxosporeans belonging to the Thelohanellus genus. This result underpins the species identification and provides evidence for challenging the taxonomic separation among both morphologically comparable genera.     

Ultrastructure of Triangulamyxa amazonica n. gen. and n. sp. (Myxozoa, Myxosporea), a parasite of the Amazonian freshwater fish, Sphoeroides testudineus (Teleostei, Tetrodontidae)

Triangulamyxa amazonica n. gen. and n. sp. (Myxozoa, Ortholineidae), found in the lumen of the intestine of the freshwater fish Sphoeroides testudineus, is described. The fish were collected from the Amazon River near the city of Algodoal, State of the Pará, Brazil. Numerous irregular plasmodia containing different stages of sporogony, including spores, were observed. The plasmodia were lying free in the lumen or had slender pseudopodia-like cytoplasmic processes in contact with intestinal epithelial cells with microvilli projections. Spores, which are equilaterally triangular in valvar view with rounded pointed ends and ellipsoidal in transverse section, are 8.5 μm long, 7.6 μm wide, and 3.8 μm thick. The anterior end of the spores contains two equal drop-shaped polar capsules measuring 2.6 μm in length, each having an isofilar polar filament with 5–6 turns. The characteristics of the spore shape, the spore wall structure and its ridge organization, the plasmodial characteristics and the identity of the host suggest that the parasite is a new genus and species, which is herein designated T. amazonica.     

Myxobolus groenlandicus n. sp. (Myxozoa) distorting skeletal structures and musculature of Greenland halibut Reinhardtius hippoglossoides (Teleostei: Pleuronectidae)

A specimen of Greenland halibut Reinhardtius hippoglossoides (Walbaum, 1792) caught on the west coast of Greenland (Qasigiannguit) was found to possess serious pathological changes in the body musculature. A series of cartilaginous cylindrical structures organized symmetrically at the position of the proximal pterygiophores had changed the musculature and produced irreversible distortions (cavities and holes) in the fillet of the processed fish, leaving it with no value for the industry. Histopathological investigation showed that these structures consisted of hypertrophic cartilage containing numerous myxospore-producing plasmodia. Morphometric and molecular analyses of the parasites showed that both spore morphology and rDNA sequences complied with characteristics of the genus Myxobolus, but no full affiliation with a known species could be found. The parasite is a previously undescribed species, and the name Myxobolus groenlandicus n. sp. is assigned to this new myxobolid.     

Myxobolus insignis sp. n. (Myxozoa, Myxosporea, Myxobolidae), a parasite of the Amazonian teleost fish Semaprochilodus insignis (Osteichthyes, Prochilodontidae)

A new myxosporean species is described from the fish Semaprochilodus insignis captured from the Amazon River, near Manaus. Myxobolus insignis sp. n. was located in the gills of the host forming plasmodia inside the secondary gill lamellae. The spores had a thick wall (1.5-2 microm) all around their body, and the valves were symmetrical and smooth. The spores were a little longer than wide, with rounded extremities, in frontal view, and oval in lateral view. They were 14.5 (14-15) microm long by 11.3 (11-12) microm wide and 7.8 (7-8) microm thick. Some spores showed the presence of a triangular thickening of the internal face of the wall near the posterior end of the polar capsules. This thickening could occur in one of the sides of the spore or in both sides. The polar capsules were large and equal in size surpassing the midlength of the spore. They were oval with the posterior extremity rounded, and converging anteriorly with tapered ends. They were 7.6 (7-8) microm long by 4.2 (3-5) microm wide, and the polar filament formed 6 coils slightly obliquely to the axis of the polar capsule. An intercapsular appendix was present. There was no mucous envelope or distinct iodinophilous vacuole.     

Myxobolus cuneus n. sp. (Myxosporea) infecting the connective tissue of Piaractus mesopotamicus (Pisces: Characidae) in Brazil: histopathology and ultrastructure

The characteristics of Myxobolus cuneus n. sp. and its relationship to the host Piaractus mesopotamicus are described based on light and electron microscopy and histological observations. Polysporic plasmodia measuring 20 microm to 2.1 mm in size were found in 63.3 % of the P. mesopotamicus examined. The parasite was found in the gall bladder, urinary bladder, gills, spleen, fins, head surface, liver and heart. Generative cells and disporoblastic pansporoblasts occurred along the periphery of the plasmodia, and mature spores were found in the internal region. The mature spores had a pear shaped body in frontal view, with a total length of 10.0 +/- 0.6 microm and a width of 5.1 +/- 0.3 microm (mean +/- SD). The spore wall was smooth with sutural folds. The polar capsules were elongated, were pear shaped, and equal in size (length 5.7 +/- 03 microm; width 1.7 +/- 0.2 microm), with the anterior ends close to each other. The polar filaments were tightly coiled in 8-9 turns perpendicular to the axis of the capsule. The plasmodia were always found in connective tissue (wall of the arterioles of the gill filaments, serous capsule of the gall bladder, middle layer and subepithelial connective tissue of the urinary bladder, connective tissue between the rays of the fins, subcutaneous tissue of the head surface and fibrous capsule spleen). The parasite caused important damage in the gills, where development occurred in the wall of gill filament arterioles; a mild macrophage infiltrate was also observed. In advanced developmental stages, the plasmodia caused deformation of the arteriole structure, with a reduction and, in some cases, obstruction of the lumen. The parasite was found throughout the period studied and its prevalence was unaffected by host size, season or water properties.     

Fine structure of the myxosporean,Henneguya curimata n. sp., parasite of the Amazonian fish,Curimata inormata (Teleostei,Curimatidae)

Henneguya curimata n. sp. (Myxozoa, Myxobolidae) is described from the kidney of the teleost Curimata inormata collected in an estuarine region of the Amazon River, near Belém. Brazil. This myxosporean produces large cysts (0.6-1.2 mm in diam.) that represent plasmodia containing all life cycle stages, including spores. The spore body is ellipsoidal (approximately 16.6 microm in length and approximately 6.2 microm in width), and each valve presents a tapering tail (approximately 19.1 microm in length). These valves surround the binucleate sporoplasm cell and two ellipsoidal polar capsules located side-by-side at the same level, measuring 6.5 x 1.2 microm each and containing 10-11 coils of the polar filament. On the basis of its host specificity and on data collected by light and electron microscopy, the organism, H. curimata n. sp. is distinguished as a new species. The taxonomic affinities and morphological comparisons with other similar species of the same genus are discussed.     

Myxobolus albi n. sp. (Myxozoa) from the Gills of the Common Goby Pomatoschistus microps Krøyer (Teleostei: Gobiidae)

ABSTRACT. A recent investigation into the myxozoan fauna of common gobies, Pomatoschistus microps , from the Forth Estuary in Scotland, revealed numerous myxosporean cysts within the gill cartilage. They were composed of polysporous plasmodia containing myxobolid spores that were morphologically different from the other known species of Myxobolus and from the myxosporeans previously recorded from this host (i.e. the ceratomyxid Ellipsomyxa gobii , infecting the gall bladder, and the kudoid Kudoa camarguensis , infecting the muscle tissues). Spores were ovoid, 9.4 × 9.1 μm with a thickness of 6.6 μm, with two pyriform polar capsules, the polar filaments of which had four to five turns. Molecular analysis of the parasite's small subunit rDNA region, based upon a contiguous sequence of 1,558 base pairs, discriminated it from other myxosporean species that have been characterized so far. A comparison of the spore morphology and the molecular sequences determined for this new isolate with other myxozoans described to date, confirmed its identity as a previously unknown myxobolid supporting the proposal that this isolate be elevated to the species level as a new species within the genus Myxobolus . A phylogenetic analysis places this new myxobolid, Myxobolus albi n. sp., in a basal position of a clade containing the majority of Henneguya spp. sequenced to date and various Myxobolus spp.     

Necroulcerative dermatitis associated with Myxobolus dermatoulcerans n. sp. (Cnidaria: Myxobolidae) in red-bellied piranha,Pygocentrus nattereri Kner (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae), from Peru

A group of red-bellied piranha, Pygocentrus nattereri Kner, recently imported from Peru exhibited multifocal, cutaneous ulcerations with exposure of the underlying musculature. Skin scrapes yielded moderate numbers of myxospores morphologically consistent with Myxobolus Bütschli, 1882. Myxospores from these fish were morphologically and molecularly distinct from other myxobolids infecting piranha. Myxospores are pyriform to capsular with a rounded posterior and slightly rounded to tapering anterior aspect in valvular view. Myxospore bodies are 14.3–17.8 (mean 16.1) µm long and 7.6–10.3 (mean 8.9) µm wide. Polar capsules are symmetrical, slender, elongate, and measure 7.4–10.2 (mean 9.2) µm long and 2.1–3.7 (mean 3.0) µm wide. Sequence generated for the 18S rRNA gene had no direct matches to any sequence available on GenBank but demonstrated less than 89% nucleotide similarity to various published and unpublished Myxobolus spp. from Piaractus brachypomus (Cuvier) and Colossoma macropomum (Cuvier). This paper provides the morphological and molecular characterisation of Myxobolus dermatoulcerans n. sp. from red-bellied piranha and describes associated pathological lesions.

     

A new species of Myxozoa, Henneguya rondoni n. sp. (Myxozoa), from the peripheral nervous system of the Amazonian fish, Gymnorhamphichthys rondoni (Teleostei)

Henneguya rondoni n. sp. found in the peripheral lateral nerves located below the two lateral lines of the fish Gymnorhamphichthys rondoni (Teleostei, Rhamphichthyidae) from the Amazon river is described using light and electron microscopy. Spherical to ellipsoid cysts measuring up to 110 microm in length contained only immature and mature spores located in close contact with the myelin sheaths of the nervous fibres. Ellipsoidal spores measured 17.7 (16.9-18.1)-microm long, 3.6 (3.0-3.9)-microm wide, and 2.5 (2.2-2.8)-microm (n=25) thick. The spore body measuring 7.0 (6.8-7.3)-microm long was formed by two equal symmetric valves, each with an equal tapering tail 10.7 (10.3-11.0) microm in length. The tails were composed of an internal dense material surrounded by an external homogeneous sheath of hyaline substance. The valves surrounded two equal pyriform polar capsules measuring 2.5 (2.2-2.8)-microm long and 0.85 (0.79-0.88)-microm (n=25) wide and a binucleated sporoplasm cell containing globular sporoplasmosomes 0.38 (0.33-0.42) microm (n=25) in diam. with an internal eccentric dense structure with half-crescent section. Each polar capsule contains an anisofilar polar filament with 6-7 turns obliquely to the long axis. The matrix of the polar capsule was dense and the wall filled with a hyaline substance. The spores differed from those of previously described species. Based on the ultrastructural morphology of the spore and specificity to the host species, we propose a new species name H. rondoni n. sp.