A New Species of Myxidium (Myxozoa: Myxidiidae) from the Gall Bladders of Anuran Amphibians from Peru

Abstract

Myxidium typhonius, a myxosporidian protozoan, is described from the gall bladders of 13 species of anuran amphibians in Peru, Departamento de Madre de Dios, Provincia Tambopata, Cusco Amaz6nico, Rio Madre de Dios, ca. 15 km E Puerto Maldonado. The ellipsoidal spores of the parasite are distinguished from those of other myxidia infecting anurans on the basis of overall size, nature of the sutural line, number of longitudinal ridges, number and features of transverse ridges, polar capsule size, coils in polar filament, and identical left and right sides. Each spore of M. typhonius has a longitudinal suture extending pole to pole, 2 longitudinal ridges, and 9 or 10 transverse ridges. Two nuclei are located between the 2 polar capsules and each polar filament has 4 or 5 turns (coils). Average measurements (and ranges) in microns of 325 spores from the frontal view are: spore length 10.9 (9.8-12.2); spore width 7.2 (5.7-8.9); polar capsule length 3.8 (3.3-4.9); polar capsule width 3.6 (3.3-5.0). Myxidium typhonius appears to be a common parasite of the gall bladder of anurans from Cusco Amazonico, Peru, with an average prevalence of 85.5%.