Morphology and Ultrastructure of Cryptobia eilatica n. sp. (Bodonidae: Kinetoplastida), an Ectoparasite from the Gills of Marine Fish

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Abstract

ABSTRACT. A marine kinetoplastid flagellate, Cryptobia eilatica n. sp., is described from the gills of cultured gilt‐head sea bream Sparus aurata L. and wild black‐spot sea bream Diplodus noct (Valenciennes) in the Red Sea. The trophozoite is elongated and lacks a contractile vacuole and undulating membrane. The body averages 13.5 × 4.1 μm, anterior flagellum 9.7 μm, and free portion of recurrent flagellum 15.2 μm. The ultrastructural features of the species exhibit great similarity to various previously studied Cryptobiids. Cryptobia eilatica trophozoites feed on bacteria, show a preference for the branc hial interlamellar crypts, and attach to the host epithelium by means of the recurrent flagellum. Neither penetration into the epithelial cells, nor any direct damage to host tissue was observed. Cryptobia eilatica inhabits a purely marine habitat, but its trophozoite tolerates salinities as low as 10 ppt.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)482-489
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Eukaryotic Microbiology
Volume37
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1990
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Diplodus noct (Valenciennes)
  • Red Sea
  • Sparus aurata Linnaeus
  • halotolerance
  • mariculture

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology

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