Arch. Protistenkd. 136 (1988) : 393-396

VEB Gustav Fischer Verlag Jena

Department of Zoology, Panjab University , Chandigarh, India

On a New Species, Myxidium labeonisfrom Freshwater Fishes of Punjab, India

By SUSHMA GUPTA & S . KHERA

With 6 Figures

Summary

Myxidium labeonis sp. nov . from bile (gall bladder) of freshwater fishes Labeo dero and L. dycheilus is described.A key to the Indian species of genus Myx idium BOTSCHLI, 1882 has been formulated .

Introduction

While examining the fishes for myxosporean infection from different parts of Punjab, authorscame across a new parasite, Myxidium labeonis from the gall bladders of Labeo dero and L.dyocheilus. Spores were found floating in the bile.

Material and Methods

Temporary preparations of spores with LUGOL'S iodine were made to detect the iodinophilous vacuole .Examination of spores mounted in glycerine jelly with coverslips sealed with wax , showed clear structure of valvularmarkings and coils of polar filament s inside the polar capsules. Dry smears of myxosporean spores were stained withGIEMSA after fixation in acetone free methanol. Permanent wet preparations were made with HEIDENHAIN'S ironhaematoxylin after fixation in hot SCHAUDlNN'S fixative (50°C) . All measurements are given in micrometer (11m).

Abbrevat ions used :

- Polar capsule- Polar filament- Sutural line

SporoplasmSporoplasmic nucleusSpore wallValvular striations

PCPFSLSPSPN ­SWVS -

Observations

Myxidium labeonis sp. nov.

Examination of the contents of the gall bladder of the infected fishes has revealed the presence ofspores of this parasite. No cyst is present.

Spore: Elliptical in shape with rounded extremities (Figs. 1, 4, 5). Shell valves symmetricalwith five longitudinal striations (Fig. 1). Sutural line fine, median and straight (Fig. 3). Polarcapsules two, equal in size, oval in shape ; one at either end of the spore (Figs. 1, 4, 5). Each capsuleencloses a tightly wound polar filament which forms five coils inside the polar capsule (Figs. 1,5).Sporoplasm uniformly granular , occupies the space between polar capsules (Fig. 1, 2, 4, 5),

Figs. 1-3. Camera lucida drawings of the spores of Myxidium labeonis sp. nov.

Fig. 1. A fresh spore in valvular view; note the valvular striations.Fig. 2. A spore in valvular view: SCHAuDINN/lron haematoxylin.Fig. 3. A fresh spore in sutural view showing sutural line.

6

Figs. 4-6. Photographs of the spores of Myxidium labeonis sp. nov.

Fig. 4. Fresh unstained spore in valvular view.Fig. 5. Fresh spores showing coils of polar filaments (-» inside the polar capsules.Fig. 6. Spores stained with iron haematoxylin showing sporoplasmic nucleus (-».

contains one nucleus in most of the spores (Fig. 2, 6), but in some spores two nuclei are also seen.Iodinophilous vacuole absent.

Measurements (in urn):

Spore:Length 11-14 (12.66, 0.674); breadth 5-7 (6.46, 0.508).Polar capsule:Length 3-5 (4.04, 0.773); breadth 2-5 (3.26, 0.694).

(Figures within parentheses indicate mean and standard deviation respectively of 25 specimens)

Hosts: Labeo dero (HAMILTON)L. dyocheilus (MCCLELLAND)

Site of infection: Gall bladder (bile)Locality: Ropar, Ludhiana and Nangal, Punjab, IndiaDates of collection: September 25,1984; October 16,1984; November 22, 1984; March 9, 15 and

16, 1985; May 9, 1985 and August 27 and 28, 1985.Holotype: On slide number 798 obtained from smear of bile of Labeo dero (HAMILTON) purchased

from Ropar (Punjab) on August 27, 1985.Paratype: On the slide number 798 as well as on slides number 799-809; obtained from smears of

bile of L. dero and L. dyocheilus from Ropar, Ludhiana and Nangal.

Myxidium labeonis sp. nov. 395

Remarks: Only M. aori LALITHA KUMARI, 1969 comes close to the present species inmeasurements but differs in having truncated ends, spores slightly curved with one ofthe sides moreconvex than the other and valves slightly asymmetrical. Moreover, M. aori is from a different host,Macrones aor.

The present species of Myxidium from Labeo dero and L. dyocheilus is therefore new to scienceand is named after the generic name of its hosts. The recovery of Myxidium from the gall bladder(bile) of Labeo dero and L. dyocheilus is the first record of infestation of these fishes withMyxidium.

CHAKRAVARTY (1943) redescribed M. procerum AUERBACH, 1910 from Lates calcarifer. Heproposed a new variety of this species, M. procerum var. calcariferi, on the basis that striations arepresent on the valves in his specimens. Since infrasubspecific ranks have been excluded from theInternational Code of Zoological Nomenclature (Article 1), the rank variety is not recognized.Further, presence or absence of striations on the valves of the spores is an important diagnosticcharacter in the identification of species. Therefore, this variety is being elevated to the rank ofspecies as M. calcariferi CHAKRAVARTY, 1943 [Article lOb, read along with MAYR (1969),p.362], who states: "It is taxonomic practice to give the benefit of doubt to authors havingintroduced 'varieties' prior to 1961 (Article 45e)".

Key to Indian species of genus Myxidium BUTSCHLI, 1882

Both extremities of spore drawn out into transparent needle-like structures: present in the gut (gutcontents); M. boddaerti CHOUDHURY and NANDI, 1973Extremities of spore not drawn out into needle-like structures; present in the gall-bladder (bile) 2

2 (1) Spores oflarge dimensions, over 20 in length. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Spores ofsmall dimensions, under 20 in length. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

3 (2) Spores 23-27 x 6.18 in size; shell valves striated; M. calcariferi CHAKRAVARTY, 1943Spores 30.7-38.2 x 4.2-6.6 in size; shell valves non-striated; M. apocryptae BAJPAI and HALDAR,1982

4 (2) Spores bilobate in valvular view, having depression around the intercapsular region; M. striatusiSARKAR, 1982Spores otherwise. . . . 5

5 (4) Shell valves striated . . 6Shell valves non-striated 8

6 (5) Spores with both extremities pointed 7Spores with both extremities rounded; M. labeonis sp. nov.Spores with both extremities truncated; M. aori LALITHA KUMAR!, 1969

7 (6) Spores narrow, about three times as long as broad; fusiform in shape; M. lieberkiihni BUTscHLI, 18821)

Spores broad, about twice as long as broad; spindle-shaped; M. heteropneustesi CHAKRAVARTY, 19438 (5) Spores with both extremities rounded; opening for the polar filaments marked by elevated areas of the

shell just in front of the capsules; M. glossogobi CHAKRAvARTY, 1939Spores with both extremities pointed or bluntly pointed, openings for the polar filaments are not markedby elevated areas of shell valves. . . . . . . . . . . 9

9 (8) Sutural ridge S-shaped; M. fasciatum SARKAR, 1985Sutural ridge straight or slightly curved . . . . . . . . IO

IO (9) Spores 8.5-12.0 (9.93) x 3.0-6.0 (3.92); polar capsules conical; M. islampurium SARKAR,MAZUMDER and I'RAMANIK, 1985Spores 11.0-16.65 (13.08) x 5.0-7.49 (5.89); polar capsules spherical to ovoidal; M. mystusiumSARKAR and RAY CHOUDHURY, 1986

1) M. Iieberkiihni BUTscHLI, 1882was recorded in India for the firsttime by CHAKRAVARTY (1943) from the fishAnabas testudineus (BLOCH) from Calcutta.

396 S. GUPTA and S. KHERA, Myxidium labeonis sp. nov.

Acknowledgements

Grateful acknowledgements are due to the Chairman, Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh forlaboratory facilities and to the U.S. PL-480 authorities for financial assistance.

Literature

1) AUERBACH, M. (1910): Biologische und morphologische Bemerkungen iiber Myxosporidien. Zoo!. Anz. 35:57-63.

BAJPAI, R. R. N., & HALDAR, D. P. (1982): Observations on two myxosporidan parasites (Myxozoa: Myxosporea)from the gall bladder of fresh water fishes. Arch. Protistenkd. 125: 129-136.

I) BUTSCHLI, O. (1882): Myxosporidia. Bronn's K!. Ordn. Protozoa 1: 590-603.CHAKRAVARTY, M. M. (1939): Studies on Myxosporidia from fishes of Bengal with a note on the myxosporidian

infection in aquaria fishes. Arch. Protistenkd. 92: 169-178.- (1943): Studies on Myxosporidia from the common food fishes of Bengal. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. B18: 21-36.CHOUDHURY, A., & NANDI, N. C. (1973): Studies on myxosporidian parasites (Protozoa) from an estuarine gobiid

fish of West Bengal. Proc. zoo!. Soc., Calcutta. 26: 45-55.LALITHA KUMARI, P. S. (1969): Studies on parasitic Protozoa (Myxosporidia) of freshwater fishes of Andhra Pradesh,

India. Riv. Parasit. 30 (3): 153-226.MAYR, E. (1969): Principles of systematic zoology. New York.SARKAR, N. K. (1982): On threenew myxosporidian parasites (Myxozoa) of the ophicephalid fishes of West Bengal,

India. Acta Protozoo!. 21: 239-244.(1985): Some Myxosporidia (Myxozoa: Myxosporea) of anabantid fishes of West Bengal, India. Acta Protozoo!.24 (2): 175-180.MAZUMDER, S. K., & PRAMANIK, A. (1985): Observations on 4 new species of Myxosporidia (Myxozoa) fromchannid (ophicephalid) fishes of West Bengal, India. Arch. Protistenkd. 130 (3): 289-296.& RAY CHOUDHURY, S. (1986): Thelohanellus bengalensis sp. n. and Myxidium mystusium sp. n. (Myxozoa):Two new Myxosporidia from Indian freshwater teleosts. Acta Protozoo!. 25 (3): 359-362.

Authors' address: Dr. S. KHERA and SUSHMA GUPTA, Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh­160014, India.

1) Not referred to in original

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