title: First record of Unicapsula seriolae (Myxozoa: Multivalvulida) from the muscle of Malabar grouper Epinephelus malabaricus in Japan.
abstract: Unicapsula seriolae (Myxozoa; Multivalvulida) was found in the trunk muscle of Malabar grouper Epinephelus malabaricus caught off Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. Numerous filamentous or sesamoid brown to black lesions were observed in the skeletal muscle. Histopathological observation indicated that the lesions were myxosporean plasmodia encapsulated by a fibrous layer, accompanied by melanin deposition. Spores having one large and two rudimentary polar capsules were subspherical in shape and 6.6 × 6.9 μm in size. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that spores were composed of three spore valves. Morphological characteristics were consistent with U. seriolae, which is reported to cause myoliquefaction in yellowtail kingfish Seriola lalandi in Australia. Molecular analysis of the SSU and LSU rDNA supported identification of the species as U. seriolae. This is the first report of Unicapsula in Japan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan. Electronic address: ayokoh@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Osaka City Institute of Public Health and Environmental Sciences, Tojo-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka 543-0026, Japan.
authors.forename: Niichiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Food Sanitation Inspection Laboratory of Osaka Municipal Central Wholesale Market, 1-1-86 Noda, Fukushima-ku, Osaka 553-0005, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomofumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maehara
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health, Hyakunin-cho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-0073, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001492:Bass / Q000469:parasitology*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D007564:Japan; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000469:parasitology*; D055764:Myxozoa / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010273:Parasitic Diseases, Animal / Q000469:parasitology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S / Q000235:genetics; D017747:Seafood / Q000469:parasitology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S
keywords: Epinephelus malabaricus; Malabar grouper; Myxozoa; Unicapsula seriolae