Microsporidiosis due to a pleistophorid in marron, Cherax tenuimanus (Smith), (Decapoda: Parastacidae)

Abstract

Abstract. Microsporidiosis in the freshwater crayfish Cherax tenuimanus (Smith), or marron, was found to be due to a pleistophorid characterized by a single sporulation sequence producing eight, 16, 32 or 64 monomorphometric spores in a sporophorous vesicle with a fine two‐layered wall. Infection occurred predominantly in locomotor, cardiac and gastrointestinal striated muscle. The disease ranged from subclinical infections where haemocytic encapsulation and infiltration of the spore masses controlled its progress, to fulminant disease with multifocal infection in the absence of effective haemocytic responses. The lethal lesions in the latter cases appeared to be those in the proventriculus. Prevalence of infection and incidence of mortality were low. The same microsporidian was found in subclinically infected C. quinquecarinatus (Gray) and C. quadricarinatus (von Mortens).