title: Scuticociliata infection in the weedy sea dragon Phyllopteryx taeniolatus.
abstract: The weedy sea dragon Phyllopteryx taeniolatus at an aquarium in Kanagawa Prefecture were found infected by protozoan ciliate, 2001. The infected fish in particular, showed sloughing of the epidermis. Fish with intense infections showed sloughing of the dorsal fin, depigmentation of skin, anal distension and accumulation of ascitic fluid in the body cavity. In biopsies, ciliates were detected only in fresh mounts of abdominal dropsy and in the mucus on the body surface. Histopathological studies revealed ciliates mainly infected the dermis, and induced extensive detachment of the epidermis from the skin. Based on the arrangement and shape of the buccal structure and the number of somatic ciliature, ciliates isolated from the fishes belonged to the order Scuticociliatida. We discuss the major factors that bring about the death of weedy sea dragons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Science and Resources, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, 1866, Kameino, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 252-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Azusa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Umehara
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kosuga
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirose
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016770:Ciliophora Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004817:Epidermis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D005399:Fishes; D016802:Oligohymenophorea / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D023701:Smegmamorpha / Q000469:parasitology*