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Observations on a new species of Unicapsula (Myxosporida) in the fish Maena smaris (L.) by conventional and electronmicroscopy

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Summary

A myxosporidian parasite believed to be congeneric with Unicapsula muscularis Davis (1924), type (and only) species of this genus, was found in the dorsal muscles of the fish Maena smaris (L.) at Banyuls-sur-Mer, France. The spores were tripartite, with corresponding components of the three parts differentially developed. One part consisted of a small shell valve overlying no more than a trace of sporoplasm but covering a polar apparatus with well-developed polar capsule. Each of the other two parts consisted of a long shell valve covering a large sporoplasm and a polar apparatus with only the rudiment of a polar capsule. Electron microscope pictures of the trophozoite showed evidence of pinocytosis. This species cannot be adequately compared morphologically with U. muscularis because descriptive data on the latter are inadequate. It is distinguished on the basis of wide differences in host and habitat and named U. pflugfelderi n. sp.

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References

  • Davis, H. S.: A new myxosporidian parasite, the cause of “wormy” halibut. Rpt. U.S. Comm. Fish. 1923, 1–5 (1924)

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  • Thompson, W. F.: A note on a sporozoan parasite of the halibut. Rpt. Comm. Fish., Provence B. C., 1915, 127–129 (1916)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung Biologie der Fische mit Labor für Elektronenmikroskopie, Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany

    Gottfried Schubert

  2. Natural Resources Institute, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland, Solomons, USA

    Victor Sprague

  3. Institut für Allgemeine Zoologie der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany

    Rudolf Reinboth

Authors
  1. Gottfried Schubert
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  2. Victor Sprague
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  3. Rudolf Reinboth
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Additional information

Contribution No. 626 of the Natural Resources Institute of the University of Maryland.

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Schubert, G., Sprague, V. & Reinboth, R. Observations on a new species of Unicapsula (Myxosporida) in the fish Maena smaris (L.) by conventional and electronmicroscopy. Z. F. Parasitenkunde 46, 245–252 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00418518

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00418518

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