A new species of Myxobolus (Cnidaria: Myxosporea: Myxobolidae) from the gibel carp Carassius gibelio (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae)

Myxobolus zhaltsanovae n. sp., is described from the gills of gibel carp Carassius gibelio found during a survey of myxozoans from the watershed of Lake Baikal, Russia, based on morphological and molecular characterizations. Plasmodia of M. zhaltsanovae n. sp. develop extravascularly and measure 500-1000 mu m long, 25-100 mu m wide. The myxospore is circular to oval, measuring 13.23 +/- 0.09 (11.3-14.8) mu m (mean +/- SD, range) in length, 10.19 +/- 0.07 (9.1-11.4) mu m in width, and 6.49 +/- 0.12 (5.4-7.2) mu m in thickness. Polar capsules are unequal and subspherical; measurements of polar capsules are: length 5.62 +/- 0.06 (4.7-6.7), width 3.44 +/- 0.04 (2.4-4.4) mu m and length 3.42 +/- 0.05 (2.5-4.1), width 1.94 +/- 0.04 (1.3-3.3) mu m. Phylogenetic analysis with the 18S rDNA gene shows M. zhaltsanovae n. sp. as a sister species of the subclade formed by M. musseliusae, M. tsangwuensis, and M. basilamellaris, which infect common carp Cyprinus carpio.

Automated summary

A new myxosporean species, Myxobolus zhaltsanovae n. sp., was discovered in the gills of gibel carp Carassius gibelio from Lake Baikal, Russia. The species was characterized morphologically and genetically, with plasmodia measuring 500-1000 μm in length and 25-100 μm in width. The myxospore had circular to oval shape, with dimensions of 13.23 +/- 0.09 (11.3-14.8) μm in length, 10.19 +/- 0.07 (9.1-11.4) μm in width, and 6.49 +/- 0.12 (5.4-7.2) μm in thickness. Phylogenetic analysis revealed M. zhaltsanovae n. sp. to be closely related to M. musseliusae, M. tsangwuensis, and M. basilamellaris, which infect common carp Cyprinus carpio.