Myxobolus dabryi n. sp. (Myxozoa: Myxobolidae) Infecting the Gills of Chanodichthys dabryi, Bleeker, 1871 (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) in Hunan Province, China

Abstract

Culters are a popular and economically important carnivorous freshwater fish, widely distributed in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs in China. An investigation of Myxozoa was conducted to enhance the understanding of Myxozoan diversity in Culters in China, as only 15 Myxosporean species have been previously reported in 6 Culters species. A new species with typical Myxobolus characteristics was discovered exclusively in the gills of Chanodichthys dabryi, Bleeker, 1871, and no other species were found in other Culters fish or organs. The new species elicited whitish plasmodia in the serosa layer of the gill arch, with no distinct inflammatory reaction observed. This species is morphologically different from all reported Myxobolus spp. from Culters, differing in plasmodium and spore size, as well as the coils of polar filaments. Molecular analysis further supports that it does not match any sequences available in GenBank. Therefore, we identified it as a new species and named it Myxobolus dabryi n. sp.