Two novel species of Myxobolus parasitizing the gills of Semaprochilodus insignis in the Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

The present study describes two new Myxobolus species infecting the gills of Semaprochilodus insignis, the most consumed freshwater fish species in the Brazilian Amazon. The fish specimens were caught in the Tapajós River, in the state of Pará, and the morphological, ultrastructural, small subunit ribosomal DNA (ssrDNA), and phylogenetic data of the myxosporean species were obtained. Two species of Myxobolus were found in the gills of S. insignis. Myxobolus maiai n. sp. developed in the gill filaments, and mature myxospores were round-shaped from the frontal view, measuring 12.5–14.8 (13.9 ± 0.5) μm in length, 11.4–13.8 (12.3 ± 0.5) μm in width, and have a thickness of 6.4–7.7 (6.9 ± 0.6) μm in the lateral view, with symmetric values. Its polar capsules were 4.4–6.6 (5.5 ± 0.5) μm in length and 2.3–3.7 (3.0 ± 0.3) μm in width, and the polar tubules had 4 - 5 coils. Myxobolus iarakiensis n. sp. was found infecting the gill arch. Mature myxospores were oval-shaped from the frontal view, and measured 6.7–8.6 (8.0 ± 0.4) μm in length, 4.5–6.3 (5.6 ± 0.4) μm in width, and had a thickness of 2.7–4.7 (3.8 ± 0.5) μm in the lateral view, with symmetric values. Its polar capsules were 2.1–3.7 (2.9 ± 0.3) μm in length and 1.1–2.0 (1.5 ± 0.2) μm in width, and its polar tubules had 4 - 5 coils. The ssrDNA based phylogeny showed these two novel species as grouping in a clade composed of parasite species of Prochilodontidae hosts.