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Goussia girellae N. Sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriorina) in the Opaleye, Girella nigricans 1
Author(s) -
KENT MICHAEL L.,
FOURNIE JOHN W.,
SNODGRASS ROBERT E.,
ELSTON RALPH A.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
the journal of protozoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 0022-3921
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1988.tb04345.x
Subject(s) - biology , gill , lamina propria , apicomplexa , anatomy , microbiology and biotechnology , epithelium , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , immunology , genetics , malaria , plasmodium falciparum
Goussia girellae n. sp. is described from the opaleye fish, Girella nigricans . Merogonic stages were observed in the apices of intestinal epithelial cells, in the lamina propria, and in extra‐intestinal sites including liver, gills, and spleen. Gamonts were observed in the intestinal epithelial cells. Only unsporulated oocysts were detected in the intestine, and sporulation occurred when feces containing oocysts were incubated for 48 h in seawater at 21°C. Oocysts are elongated (24.8 × 14.7 μm) with a wall about 200 nm thick and have no residuum, micropyle, or polar granule. Sporocysts are ellipsoid (8.5 × 4.5 μm), have a thin two‐layered wall approximately 30 nm thick, and consist of two valves joined by a suture. Although moribund opaleye were also infected with Gyrodactylus sp., Cryptobia sp., Cardicola sp., and epitheliocystis organisms (chlamydia), all fish were heavily infected with G. girellae and morbidity was thus attributed to the coccidium.