Abstract
Protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Perkinsus elicit severe inflammatory responses and are associated with mass mortality of commercially important marine shellfish worldwide. In the present study, we examined the external features of P. olseni zoospores in detail using light and scanning electron microscopy. Our study showed that the zoospores have an oval body with a long anterior flagellum and a short posterior flagellum. The anterior flagellum has a unilateral array of mastigonemes. Mean body dimensions were 3.37 ± 0.33 μm × 1.72 ± 0.22 μm. The average length of the anterior and posterior flagella was 16.34 ± 1.52 μm and 8.25 ± 1.39 μm, respectively. Zoospores of P. olseni found in Korean waters have shorter and narrower bodies, longer anterior flagella, and shorter posterior flagella than zoospores of Perkinsus spp. found in the mollusks of North America and Europe.
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