title: A new species of myxosporean (Sphaeromyxidae), a parasite of lined seahorses, Hippocampus erectus, from the Gulf of Mexico.
abstract: Sphaeromyxa cannolii sp. n. is described from the bile ducts of aquaria-maintained lined seahorses (Hippocampus erectus) from the Gulf of Mexico. Spores of the new species are linear, 17-18 µm long and 5-6 µm wide, with flattened tips; polar capsules measure 4 × 3 µm. Routine necropsies of H. erectus following planned death revealed liver inflammation, bile duct obstruction, bile accumulation, and myxozoan parasites in the bile ducts of 11 of 40 animals sampled (27.5%). The presence of S. cannolii in an aquaculture setting should prompt keepers to carefully quarantine new animals and exclude annelid fauna, a potential intermediate host of myxozoans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, Florida 33620, USA. bsears@mail.usf.edu
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Sears
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Greiner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D055764:Myxozoa / Q000145:classification*; D010273:Parasitic Diseases, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012623:Seawater; D017678:Sex Distribution; D023701:Smegmamorpha / Q000469:parasitology*; D013170:Spores / Q000648:ultrastructure