title: Morphologic and genetic evidence for mixed infection with two Myxobolus species (Myxozoa: Myxobolidae) in gray mullets, Mugil cephalus, from Korean waters.
abstract: The present study was performed to trace the decisive evidence for mixed infection of 2 Myxobolus species, M. episquamalis and Myxobolus sp., in the gray mullet, Mugil cephalus, from Korean waters. Mullets with whitish cyst-like plasmodia on their scales were collected near a sewage plant in Yeosu, southern part of Korea, in 2009. The cysts were mainly located on scales and also found in the intestine. The spores from scales were oval in a frontal view, tapering anteriorly to a blunt apex, and measured 7.2 µm (5.8-8.0) in length and 5.3 µm (4.7-6.1) in width. Two polar capsules were pyriform and extended over the anterior half of the spore, measuring 3.5 µm (2.3-4.8) in length and 2.0 µm (1.5-2.2) in width. In contrast, the spores from the intestine were ellipsoidal, 10.4 µm (9.0-11.9) in length and 8.4 µm (7.3-10.1) in width. The polar capsules were pyriform but did not extend over the anterior half of the spore, 3.7 µm (2.5-4.5) in length and 2.2 µm (1.8-2.9) in width. The nucleotide sequences of the 18S rDNA gene of the 2 myxosporean spores from scales and intestine showed 88.1% identity to each other and 100% identity with M. episquamalis and 94.5% identity with M. spinacurvatura from mullet, respectively. By the above findings, it is first confirmed that mullets from the Korean water are infected with 2 myxosporean species, M. episquamalis and Myxobolus sp.
authors.affiliation: The Fisheries Science Institute, Chonnam National University, Yeosu 556-901, Korea.
authors.forename: Wi-Sik
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeong-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Myung-Joo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D055766:Myxobolus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D023701:Smegmamorpha; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S
keywords: Mugil cephalus; Myxobolus episquamalis; Myxobolus sp.; mixed infection; mullet