Myxobolus tihanyensis, Colunga-Ramírez & Suhaimi & Cech & alman & Molnar & Sz & ekely & Bogl & Sellyei, 2024

Colunga-Ramírez, Graciela, Suhaimi, Nadhirah Syafiqah, Cech, abor, alman, Molnar, Sz, Csaba, ekely, Bogl & Sellyei, arka, 2024, Morphological and molecular characterisation of two closely related species: Myxobolus tihanyensis n. sp. and Myxobolus sandrae Reuss, 1906, International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 23, pp. 100909-100909 : 100909-

3.1.1. Myxobolus tihanyensis n sp

Plasmodia (n = 50): brownish and polymorphic in (long, slender, spherical to ovoid) shape; and vary in size, 249 μm ± 156 (60–850) length, 174 μm ± 49 (50–523). Rarely irregularly shaped plasmodia (n = 2) were recorded ( Fig. 1 ; Fig. S1 ). However, all examined plasmodia contained mature spores.

Spores (n = 30): Mature spores are ovoid or slightly pyriform in shape ( Figs. 2 and 3 ). The sutural ridge presents 8–10 sutural markings symmetrically distributed. Spore length 9.74 μm ± 0.33 (8.6–10.19). Width 7.69 μm ± 0.23 (7.2–8.15) and thickness 5.35 μm ± 0.21 (5.08–5.78) ( Fig. 2 , Table 2). Spores with 2 polar capsules of approximately equal size, length 4.9 μm ± 0.39 (4.05–5.87), width 2.27 μm ± 0.24 (1.78–2.75) ( Fig. 2B–F ). Polar tubule coiled 6–7 times, with a length of 38.15 μm ± 2.70 (32.36–42.61) ( Fig. 2D–H ). All spore measurements were taken on fresh spores, with the exception of the polar tubule length, measured after Lugol staining.

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Figures

Fig. 1. Myxobolus tihanyensis n. sp. plasmodia inhabiting Perca fluviatilis. (A). Plasmodia in the mesenchymal tissue between the caudal fin rays beneath the skin. (B) Plasmodia in the subcutaneous muscle close to the cartilage and ossified caudal fin rays (C) Plasmodia close to the pleural centrum (pc) located in the homocercal caudal fin. (D) Plasmodia is shown in the homocercal caudal skeleton in the urostyle (u) and the hypural (h). Note plasmodia are indicated in black arrows. Scale bars = 500 μm.

Fig. 2. Photomicrographs of Myxobolus tihanyensis n. sp. spores from Perca fluviatilis. (A–D) Myxobolus tihanyensis n. sp., and (E–H), Myxobolus sandrae from Sander lucioperca. (A, E) Numerous mature spores (s) illustrate an ovoid shape and two polar capsules (pc). (B, F) Ovoid spores with sutural markings (white arrows) with two polar capsules which contain coiled polar tubules (pf) (C, G) Spore in sutural view showing the suture (su) (D, H) Spores releasing the polar tubules (pf) and showing sutural markings. Figs. C, G and H represented spores stained with Lugol solution. Scale bars = 10 μm.

Fig. 3. Schematic drawings of the mature spore of Myxobolus tihanyensis n. sp. from the caudal fin of Perca fluviatilis (A) in frontal view, (B) in sutural view. Scale bar = 10 μm.