Protistology 7 (3) 178–188 (2012) |
Thelohanellus (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Bivalvulida) infections in major carp fish from Punjab wetlands (India) |
Department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala, India Summary A survey of freshwater fish parasites in Harike and Kanjali wetlands of Punjab (India) revealed two new and two already known myxosporean species of the genus Thelohanellus Kudo, 1933 parasitizing various fish organs, such as caudal fin, skin of snout, and gill lamellae. Spores of the first species, T. globulosa sp. nov. (11.67×7.9 µm) are oval to spherical in valvular view, with blunt anterior ends and broad rounded posterior ends. A polar capsule, measuring 5.3×4.8 µm, is rounded, balloon-like and located eccentrically inside the spore body cavity. Shell valves are very thick (stained dark blue with Heidenhain's Iron-haematoxylin). Spores of the second species, T. kanjalensis sp. nov. (11.67×6.6 µm) are elongated. Their anterior end is acuminated and exhibits a distinct pore. The posterior end is rounded, with lateral sides nearly parallel to each other. The pyriform to oblong polar capsule (7.5×3.3 µm) occupies more than a half of the spore body cavity. The prominent neck leads to the fine duct opening. Shell valves stain dark-blue with Iron-haematoxylin in the middle part of the spore body cavity. Spores of the third species, T. boggoti Qadri, 1962 (10.1×5.0 µm) are egg-shaped to ovoid in valvular view, with bluntly pointed anterior ends and broad rounded posterior ends. The polar capsule (5.0×3.1 µm) is flask-shaped, with the distinct neck, and is located anteriorly. Spores of the fourth species, T. caudatus Pagarkar and Das, 1993 (15.0×7.0 µm) are pyriform in valvular view, with tapering and pointed anterior ends and broad rounded posterior ends. Their polar capsule (6.3×4.6 µm) is oval, with the blunt anterior end and rounded posterior end. Key words: Bivalvulida, Myxozoa, Thelohanellus, gill lamellae, carp fish, plasmodia, polar capsule, Harike and Kanjali wetlands, India Address for correspondence: Ranjeet Singh, Harpreet Kaur. Department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala-147002, India; e-mail: ranjitsrana@gmail.com, harpreet_bimbra@yahoo.com |
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