Two novel myxosporean parasites in Black Sea fishes: Kudoa niluferi sp nov and Kudoa anatolica sp nov (Cnidaria: Myxosporea)

Abstract

Members of the genus Kudoa are typically histozoic and only a few are coelozoic parasites, mainly in marine fishes. In the present study, 2 novel Kudoa species were recovered and described as Kudoa nilufen sp. nov. in the musculature of Neogobius melanostomus and Kudoa anatohca sp. nov. in the musculature, urinary bladder and kidney of Athenna hepsetus collected from the coast of Smop on the Black Sea. Means +/- SI.) (ranges) of mature spores of K. nilufen sp. nov. were 5.9 +/- 0.1 (5.7-6.1) mu m in length, 9.2 +/- 0.2 (8.8-9.5) mu m in width and 7.5 +/- 0.3 (7.0-8.1) mu m in thickness, while those of K. anatohca sp. nov. were 4.1 +/- 0.3 (3.5-4.1) mu m in length, 7.1 +/- 0.2 (6.7-7.2) mu m in width and 5.7 +/- 0.2 (5.3-6.0) mu m in thickness. In both parasite species, length and width of the 4 polai capsules were not equal and formed 3 distinct size classes, largest (1), intermediate (2) and smallest (1) in size. The prevalence and intensity of infection by K. nilufen sp. nov. were 12.8% and 20-29 parasites (per field-of-view, at 200x magnification), respectively, in the musculature of N. melanostomus. These values for K. anatohca sp. nov. were 32.1 % and 10-19 parasites in the musculature as well as 2.9% and 20-29 parasites jointly in the kidney and urinary bladder of A. hepsetus. Phylogenetic analysis based on nuclear small subumt rDNA also suggested K. nilufen and K. anatohca as 2 novel species. These species appealed m the same lineage with K. nova and formed a Black Sea lineage.