Kudoa yasai n. sp. (Multivalvulida: Kudoidae) from the skeletal muscle of Macrodon ancylodon (Sciaenidae) on the northern Atlantic coast, Brazil

Abstract

A new parasite species, Kudoa yasai n. sp. (Multivalvulida), is described from the king weakfish (Macrodon ancylodon), which is an important commercial fishery resource on the Brazilian Amazon coast. A total of 190 M. ancylodon specimens were obtained from the central fish market of the town of Bragança, and pseudocysts were found in the skeletal muscle fiber samples of all (100%) of the specimens, although no inflammatory reaction was observed in any of the cases. The myxospores are quadrate in shape with four polar capsules of equal size, 6.9 ± 0.94μm long, 8.2 ± 0.39μm wide, and 5.5 ± 0.60μm thick. The polar capsules are 1.8 ± 0.26μm in length and 1.4 ± 0.18μm in width. The morphological and morphometric parameters, together with the phylogenetic analysis of a partial sequence of the 18S (SSU rDNA) gene, all indicate conclusively that Kudoa yasai n. sp. is a new species, distinct from all other Kudoa species. The study also verified the loss of quality in the meat of the host fish (M. ancylodon) sold in the Bragança market, which reinforces the need for the more systematic control of the quality of the product and the prevention of possible health problems for the consumer.