Abstract
Certain wrasse species (Labridae) are used as cleaner fish in salmon farms on the Norwegian coast, reducing salmon louse intensities. The pathogen repertoire of wrasse in Norway is poorly known, and the objective of the present study is to describe a novel intracellular bacterium detected in Norwegian Labrus bergylta. Histological examination of gill tissues from ballan wrasse, L. bergylta, revealed epitheliocysts occurring basally to the secondary lamellae in the interlamellar epithelium. Ultrastructurally, these had bacteria-filled inclusions with thickened membranes and radiating ray-like structures (actinae). 16S rRNA gene sequences from the gill bacteria showed the highest (97.1 %) similarity to Candidatus Similichlamydia latridicola from the gills of the latrid marine fish Latris lineata in Australia and 94.9 % similarity to Candidatus Actinochlamydia clariae, causing epitheliocystis in the freshwater catfish Clarias gariepinus in Uganda. A total of 47 gill samples from L. bergylta from Western Norway were screened by real time RT-PCR with an assay targeting Candidatus Actinochlamydiaceae 16S rRNA. Prevalence was 100 %. We propose the name Candidatus Similichlamydia labri sp. nov. for this new agent producing gill epitheliocysts in L. bergylta.
Highlights
The ectoparasitic salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, is a serious problem to farming of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, in Norway (Heuch et al 2005)
We describe and characterise a new species of chlamydia detected in the gills of ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta) from Western Norway
None of the Chlamydiales associated with epitheliocystis in fish have been cultured
Summary
The ectoparasitic salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, is a serious problem to farming of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, in Norway (Heuch et al 2005). Salmon farmers in Western Norway use wrasse (Labridae) as cleaner fish to reduce lice levels and the harmful consequences due to L. salmonis. In Western Norway, salmon famers mainly stock four, wild-caught, wrasse species with their salmon: Labrus bergylta (ballan wrasse), Ctenolabrus rupestris (goldsinny), Symphodus melops (corkwing wrasse) and Centrolabrus exoletus (rock cook). The fish is transported over long distances on the Norwegian coast, raising concerns about the possible spread of pathogens to previously uninfected wrasse populations. To gain knowledge on naturally occurring pathogens in wrasse, a study of gill-associated bacteria and parasites was initiated in 2011. It was found that epitheliocysts were common in the gills of L. bergylta in Western Norway
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