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Journal of Parasitic Diseases: Official Organ of the Indian Society for Parasitology logoLink to Journal of Parasitic Diseases: Official Organ of the Indian Society for Parasitology
. 2011 May 1;35(1):23–32. doi: 10.1007/s12639-011-0033-8

Two new species of Myxobolus (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Bivalvulida) infecting an Indian major carp in Ropar and Kanjali wetlands (Punjab)

Harpreet Kaur 1,✉, Ranjeet Singh 1
PMCID: PMC3114976  PMID: 22654311

Abstract

In India, more than 104 species of Myxobolus are recorded infecting freshwater and marine fishes. During our study on the myxozoan parasites of fishes of Punjab wetlands, India, two new myxosporean species, Myxobolus ropari sp. nov. and Myxobolus kanjali sp. nov. were recorded from mucous membrane around gill lamellae and scales of Cirrhina mrigala (Ham.), respectively. Spores of the first species, M. ropari sp. nov. measure 12.58 × 4.5 μm in size, elongately pyriform, slender in shape with a pointed anterior end and a rounded posterior end. Polar capsules are two, equal, elongately pyriform, measuring 4.96 × 1.50 μm in size, placed posteriorly from the tip of the spore running parallel to each other. Spores of the second species, M. kanjali sp. nov. measure 9.5 × 7.7 μm in size, spherical in shape with rounded anterior and posterior extremities. Polar capsules are two, equal, broadly pyriform with a blunt anterior and a rounded posterior end measuring 4.8 × 1.8 μm in size. A prominent tubular structure originate from the anterior end of one of the polar capsule and extend backward beyond the margin of the spore body and run upwards to join the posterior end of the other polar capsule.

Keywords: Freshwater fishes, Kanjali wetland, Myxobolus, Ropar wetland

Introduction

Classification of the phylum Myxozoa have a long history since the discovery of Myxosporea by Jurine (1825) and subsequent observations by Muller (1841). This actually began when Butschli (1882) classified Myxosporida (along with Sarcosporida) as a subclass of the then class Sporozoa. Smothers et al. (1994) made phylogenetic analysis of the first myxozoan based on SSU rDNA confirming the marginalized suppositions of earlier authors (Stolc 1899; Weill 1938) that myxozoa are multicellular organisms and placed myxozoans within the metazoan.

Myxosporeans are the abundant and diversified group of parasites infecting freshwater and marine fishes. They cause production loss and death, and some fish have to be discarded because they are unsightly and are not considered to be fit for human consumption. Up till now, phylum Myxozoa include four malacosporean and 2,180 myxosporean species to a total of 62 genera (Lom and Dykova 2006). Recently, a new genus Thelohanelloid bengalensis gen. nov. sp. nov. from gall bladder of Arius sagor (a marine fish in Bay of Bengal) has been described by Sarkar (2009). The genus, Myxobolus is predominant having more than 744 species reported (Eiras et al. 2005). Kalavati and Nandi (2007) have reported the existence of 104 myxobolid species from Indian species. Recently, Kaur and Singh (2008; 2009a,b; 2010a,b; 2010/2011; and 2011) reported ten new species infecting Indian major carps in wetlands of Punjab. During the present study on the fishes of Ropar and Kanjali wetlands of Punjab (India), a total number of 85 fishes belonging to Cirrhina mrigala were examined. The present communication describes two new species M. ropari sp. nov. and M. kanjali sp. nov. collected from gill lamellae and scales, respectively. The description has been prepared in accordance with the guidelines of Lom and Arthur (1989).

Materials and methods

Plasmodia from gills and scales of infected Cirrhina mrigala (Ham.) were smeared on clean slides in a drop of 0.98% Nacl solution covered with cover slip and were examined for the presence of spores. Fresh spores were treated with 8% KOH solution for the extrusion of polar filaments. For permanent preparation, air-dried smears fixed in Bouins fixative were stained with Ziehl-Neelsen and Iron-haematoxylin. Drawings were made from stained material with the aid of camera lucida. Measurements (based on 15–20 fresh spores treated with Lugol’s iodine solution) of spores were done under oil immersion with the aid of a calibrated ocular micrometer. All measurements are in microns (μm) as range values followed by mean ±SD in parentheses. The abbreviations used in the paper are as follows: LS length of spore; WS width of spore; LPC length of polar capsule; WPC width of polar capsule; ICP intercapsular process; TS thickness of shell valves; NC number of coils of polar filaments; SD standard deviation.

Results and discussion

Myxobolus ropari sp. nov. (Figs. 1, 3, 5b, Table 1).

Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

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a Spore stained in Zieh1-Neelsen b Spore stained in Iron-haematoxylin (extruded polar filaments)

Fig. 3.

Fig. 3

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a Spore stained in Zieh1-Neelsen (valvular view) b Spore stained in Iron-haematoxylin (extruded polar filaments) scale bar 0.005 mm

Fig. 5.

Fig. 5

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a Fresh spore of M. ropari sp. nov. b Fres spores of M. kanjali sp. nov.

Table 1.

Comparative description of M. ropari sp. nov. with morphologically similar species (measurements are in micrometers)

Species Host Site of infection Locality Spore Polar capsule
M. ropari sp. nov. (present study) Cirrhina mrigala Gill filaments Ropar wetland, Punjab (India) 12.58 × 4.5 4.96 × 1.50
M. macrocapsularis Reuss 1906 Blicca bjoerkna Gills Russia 9.0–14.5 × 6.0–9.9 5.0–8.6 × 2.4–3.6
M. aureatus Ward 1919 Notropis anogenus Fin USA 12.4–13.5 × 6.5–7.5 6.0–7.5
M. angustus Kudo 1934 Cliola vigilax Gills USA 14.0–15.0 × 7.0–8.0 8.0–9.5 × 2.5–3
M. calbasui Chakravarty 1939 C. mrigala Gall bladder India 12.4–15.0 × 8.2–10.0 6.18 × 4.12 and 4.12 × 3.09
M. mrigalae Chakravarty 1939 C. mrigala Scales India 7.2–8.2 5.15 × 3.09 and 3.09 × 2.06
M. catlae Chakravarty 1943 C. mrigala Gills India 14.5–16.5 × 6.18 10.3–12.36 × 2.06–3.01
M. indicum Tripathi 1952 C. mrigala Muscles, liver, intestinal wall India 9.5–10.8 × 7.5–8.2 2.7–3.6 and 1.8
M. rewensis Srivastava 1979 C. mrigala Scales India 9.66 × 8.05 4.8 × 3.2
M. carnaticus Seenappa and Manohar 1980 C. mrigala Gills India 8.6 × 6.8 3.8 × 2.0 and 2.1 × 1.5
M. vanivilasae Seenappa and Manohar 1980 C. mrigala Beneath muscles, scales integument India 8.0–10.0 × 7.0–9.0 3.57 × 2.57
M. hosadurgensis Seenappa and Manohar 1981 C. mrigala Gills, muscles India 10.5 × 6.25 5.37 × 2.3 and 3.3 × 1.43
M. shetti Seenappa and Manohar 1981 C. mrigala Gills India 8.8 × 7.4 3.4 × 2.3
M. vedavatiensis Seenappa and Manohar 1981 C. mrigala Gills India 13.8 × 9.2 6.2 × 3.4 and 3.9 × 2.6
M. venkateshi Seenappa and Manohar 1981 C. mrigala Gills India 9.75 × 7.15 5.25 × 2.0
M. mathuri Jayasri et al. 1981 Puntius saranae Gills India 8.7–23.5 × 5.1–10.1 2.7–11.9 × 1.8–4.6 and 2.7–7.8 and 1.8–4.6
M. pseudokoi Li and Desser 1985 Notropis cornutus Gills, skin Canada 13.5 × 6.5 6.5 × 2.5
M. indirae (Kundu 1985) Gupta and Khera 1988 C. mrigala Scales of tail fin India 12.6 × 9.6 4.7 × 2.2
M. trichogasteri (Sarkar 1985) Gupta and Khera 1988 Trichogaster fasciatus Gall bladder India 15.5 × 9.4 10.1 × 3.3
M. haldari Gupta and Khera 1989 C. mrigala Fin, gills India 9.31 × 7.95 4.31 × 2.97 and 2.95 × 1.98
M. yogindrai (Tripathi 1952) Landsberg and Lom 1991 C. mrigala Inner side of scales India 9.0–9.5 × 7.2 2.8 × 3.6
M. longisporus Nie and Li 1992 Cyprinus carpio Gills China 16.0–17.5 × 6.5–7.0 7.5–8.2 × 2.0
M. kribiensis Fomena and Bouix 1994 Brycinus longispinnis Skin, eye-sclera Cameroon 21.2 × 9.5 16.1 × 15.4
M. orissae Haldar et al. 1997 C. mrigala Gills India 15.71 × 6.8 8.8 × 1.78 and 7.58 × 2.57
M. maculates Casal et al.2002 Metynnis maculates Kidney Brazil 21.0 × 8.9 12.7 × 3.2
M. ophthalmasculata Basu and Haldar 2002 C. mrigala Eye-muscles India 13.13 × 8.04 5.47 × 3.06 and 3.03 × 1.99
M. rocatlae Basu and Haldar 2002 Catla catla x L. rohita Gills, gut India 18.5 × 5.9 12.9 × 2.8
M. catmriglae Basu and Haldar 2004 Catla catla x C. migala Gill lamellae India 18.8 × 5.9 11.9 × 2.5
M. bilobus Cone et al.2005 Notemigonus crysoleucas Gill filaments Canada 21.0 × 8.4 10.8 × 2.7 and 10.1 × 2.3
M. shuleensis Eiras et al. 2005 Pseudorasbora parva Gills China 16.1 × 9.0 7.1 × 3.0
M. naini Kaur and Singh 2008 C. mrigala Gills India 12.9 × 8.2 4.9 × 3.1 and 3.33 × 1.63
M. eirasi Kaur and Singh 2009a C. mrigala Gills India 8.6 × 6.7 3.2 × 1.57
M. leptobarbi Szekely et al.2009 Leptobarbus hoevenii Muscles Malaysia 16.0 × 8.9 10.5 × 3.0 and 9.9 × 3.0
M. slendrii Kaur and Singh 2009b C. mrigala Gills India 14.87 × 3.4 5.74 × 1.48
M. mehlhorni Kaur and Singh 2011 C. mrigala Gill lamellae (mucous membrane) India 8.9 × 6.8 3.7 × 2.5 and 2.6 × 1.5
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Plasmodia

Small, microscopic and present in the mucous membrane around gill lamellae. 5–7 spores were present per plasmodium.

Description

LS: 12.58 ± 0.56 (12.18–12.98)

WS: 4.5 ± 0.70 (4.0–5.0)

LPC: 4.96 ± 0.14 (4.86–5.06)

WPC: 1.50 ± 0.56 (1.10–1.90)

Ratio: LS/WS = 2.7

ICP: Medium-sized

NC: 9–10

Parietal folds: absent

TS: 0.58

Spores

Histozoic, elongately pyriform and slender in shape having a pointed anterior end and a rounded posterior end. Shell valves are smooth and symmetrically thin but posterior end of the spore appear thicker (which stains dark blue with Heidenhains Iron-haematoxylin) than the rest on the spore body. Parietal folds are absent. Two equal polar capsules, elongately pyriform in shape, placed posteriorly from tip of the spore and run parallel to each other. Polar capsules are pointed anteriorly and rounded posteriorly. A medium-sized intercapsular process is present at the anterior end of spore. Sporoplasm is agranular and homogenous occupying entire extracapsular space behind the polar capsules. An iodinophilous vacuole is absent. Sporoplasmic nuclei two, each measuring 1.5–1.6 μm in diameter.

Taxonomic summary of M. ropari sp. nov.

Type host Cirrhina mrigala (Ham.) vern mrigal
Type locality Ropar wetland, Punjab (India)
Type specimen Paratypes are spores stained in Ziehl-Neelsen and Iron-haematoxylin, slide no.CM/H/ZN/23.05.2009 and CM/H/IH 23.05.2009 deposited in the museum of Department of Zoology, Punjabi University, Patiala (Punjab), India. Pin code-147002
Site of infection Gills
Prevalence of infection 30/55(54.5%)
Etymology The species epithet ropari is named after the name of type locality “Ropar wetland”
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Discussion

The present species was compared with M. macrocapsularis Reuss 1906 from gills of Blicca bjoerkna; M. aureatus Ward 1919 from fin of Notropis anogenus; M. angustus Kudo 1934 from gills of Cliola vigilax; M. calbasui Chakravarty 1939 from gall bladder of C. mrigala; M. mrigalae Chakravarty 1939 from scales of C. mrigala; M. catlae Chakravarty 1943 from gills of C. mrigala; M. indicum Tripathi 1952 from muscles, liver, intestinal wall of C. mrigala; M. rewensis Srivastava 1979 from scales of C. mrigala; M. carnaticus Seenappa and Manohar 1980 from gills of C. mrigala; M. vanivilasae Seenappa and Manohar 1980 from beneath muscles, scales integument of C. mrigala; M. hosadurgensis Seenappa and Manohar 1981 from gills, muscles of C. mrigala; M. shetti Seenappa and Manohar 1981 from gills of C. mrigala; M. vedavatiensis Seenappa and Manohar 1981 from gills of C. mrigala; M. venkateshi Seenappa and Manohar 1981 from gills of C. mrigala; M. pseudokoi Li and Desser 1985 from gills, skin of Notropis cornutus; M. indirae (Kundu 1985) Gupta and Khera 1988 from scales of tail fin of C. mrigala; M. trichogasteri (Sarkar 1985) Gupta and Khera 1988 from gall bladder of Trichogaster fasciatus; M. haldari Gupta and Khera 1989 from fin, gills of C. mrigala; M. yogindrai (Tripathi 1952) Landsberg and Lom 1991 from inner side of scales of C. mrigala; M. longisporus Nie and Li 1992 from gills of Cyprinus carpio; M. kribiensis Fomena and Bouix 1994 from skin, eye-sclera of Brycinus longispinnis; M. orissae Haldar et al. 1997 from gills of C. mrigala; M. maculates Casal et al. 2002 from kidney of Metynnis maculates; M. ophthalmasculata Basu and Haldar 2002 from eye-muscles of C. mrigala; M. rocatlae Basu and Haldar 2002 from gills, gut of Catla catla x L. rohita; M. catmriglae Basu and Haldar 2004 from gill lamellae of Catla catla x C. migala; M. bilobus Cone et al. 2005 from gill filaments of Notemigonus crysoleucas; M. shuleensis Eiras et al. 2005 from gills of Pseudorasbora parva; M. naini Kaur and Singh 2008 from gills of C. mrigala; M. eirasi Kaur and Singh 2009a from gills of C. mrigala; M. leptobarbi Szekely et al.2009 from muscles of Leptobarbus hoevenii; M. slendrii Kaur and Singh 2009b from gills of C. mrigala; and M. mehlhorni Kaur and Singh 2011 from gill lamellae (mucous membrane) of C. mrigala but differ from all of the above species in morphometric characteristics.

The present species show much similarity in having slender (LS/WS = 2.7) shape with M. longisporus (LS/WS = 2.4), M. maculates (LS/WS = 2.3), M. bilobus (LS/WS = 2.5), M. kribiensis (LS/WS = 2.2), M. rocatlae (LS/WS = 3.1), M. trichogasteri (LS/WS = 1.6), M. catmriglae (3.18), and M. catlae (LS/WS = 2.5) but differ in having a medium-sized intercapsular process at the anterior end and in having elongately pyriform polar capsules placed parallel in the middle of the spore cavity.

Furthermore, the present species resemble M. macrocapsularis (LS/WS: 1.4) in having slender shape and an intercapsular process, however, differ in having much wider spores as indicated above by comparing LS/WS ratios (indicated in parenthesis). In addition, the shell valves in the present species appear thicker at the posterior end of spore than the rest on the spore body. However, similar thickened posterior shell valves has also been reported in M. mathurii Jayasri et al. 1981 and M. slendrii Kaur and Singh (2009b).

Based on above differences cited, we hereby propose species under study as new to the science and named it as M. ropari sp. nov. through this communication.

M. kanjali sp. nov. (Figs. 2, 4, 5b; Table 2).

Fig. 2.

Fig. 2

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a, b Spore stained in Zieh1-Neelsen (showing tubular structure)

Fig. 4.

Fig. 4

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a Spore stained in Zieh1-Neelsen (valvular view) b Spore stained in Iron-haematoxylin c Spore in side view scale bar 0.005 mm

Table 2.

Comparative description of M. kanjali sp. nov. with morphologically similar species (measurements are in micrometers)

Species Host Site of infection Locality Spore Polar capsule
M. kanjali sp. nov. (present study) Cirrhina mrigala Scales Kanjali wetland, Punjab (India) 9.5 × 7.7 4.8 × 1.8
M. pfeifferi Thelohan 1895 Barbus barbus Muscles, gills, kidney, spleen, body cavity Basin of Amur rivers 10.0–13.0 × 9.0–12.2 5.0–5.7
M. calbasui Chakravarty 1939 C. mrigala Gall bladder India 12.4–15.0 × 8.2–10.0 6.18 × 4.12 and 4.12 × 3.09
M. mrigalae Chakravarty 1939 C. mrigala Scales India 7.2–8.2 5.15 × 3.09 and 3.09 × 2.06
M. catlae Chakravarty 1943 C. mrigala Gills India 14.5–16.5 × 6.18 10.3–12.36 × 2.06–3.01
M. nemacheili Weiser 1949 Nemacheilus barbatulus Head connective tissue Czech Republic 9.0–11.0 × 8.0–9.0 5.0 × 2.0
M. indicum Tripathi 1952 C. mrigala Muscles, liver, intestinal wall India 9.5–10.8 × 7.5–8.2 2.7–3.6 and 1.8
M. amurensis Akhmerov 1960 Cyprinus carpio haematopterus Fin, gut Amur basin 9.0–13.5 × 9.0–12.5 4.5–7.0 × 3.8–4.2
M. sprostoni Shulman 1962 Silurus europius Gut serosa Amur basin 11.0–13.0 × 10.0–11.7 5.5–7.5 × 3.5–4.0
M. musajevi Kandilov 1963 Varicorhinus capoeta Gills Caucasus 11.5–14.0 × 10.0–11.0 6.0–7.0 × 3.3–5.0
M. rewensis Srivastava 1979 C. mrigala Scales India 9.66 × 8.05 4.8 × 3.2
M. carnaticus Seenappa and Manohar 1980 C. mrigala Gills India 8.6 × 6.8 3.8 × 2.0 and 2.1 × 1.5
M. exsulatus Pugachev 1980 Abramis brama, Catostomus catostomus Gills Siberia 9.7–9.9 × 9.0–9.1 5.4–5.6 × 3.0
M. vanivilasae Seenappa and Manohar 1980 C. mrigala Beneath muscles, scales integument India 8.0–10.0 × 7.0–9.0 3.57 × 2.57
M. hosadurgensis Seenappa and Manohar 1981 C. mrigala Gills, muscles India 10.5 × 6.25 5.37 × 2.3 and 3.3 × 1.43
M. shetti Seenappa and Manohar 1981 C. mrigala Gills India 8.8 × 7.4 3.4 × 2.3
M. vedavatiensis Seenappa and Manohar 1981 C. mrigala Gills India 13.8 × 9.2 6.2 × 3.4 and 3.9 × 2.6
M. venkateshi Seenappa and Manohar 1981 C. mrigala Gills India 9.75 × 7.15 5.25 × 2.0
M. kuleminae Donec in Shulman 1984 Aspius aspius, Leuciscus leucisucs Muscles, heart Ukraine 15.0–19.5 × 12.0–15.0 7.0–9.0 × 4.0–5.0
M. indirae (Kundu 1985) Gupta and Khera 1988 C. mrigala Scales of tail fin India 12.6 × 9.6 4.7 × 2.2
M. haldari Gupta and Khera 1989 C. mrigala Fin, gills India 9.31 × 7.95 4.31 × 2.97 and 2.95 × 1.98
M. crucifilus (synonyms Gyrosporacrucifilus Qadri 1962) Landsberg and Lom 1991 Labeo fimbriatus Gills India 9.0–10.0 × 8–8.5 4.0–4.5
M. salmonis (Hoshina 1949) Landsberg and Lom 1991 Oncorhynchus keta Lower side of scales Russia 8.2–10.4 × 7.4–9.5 3.6–5.8 × 2.1–3.4
M. yogindrai (Tripathi 1952) Landsberg and Lom 1991 C. mrigala Inner side of scales India 9.0–9.5 × 7.2 2.8 × 3.6
M. orissae Haldar et al. 1997 C. mrigala Gills India 15.71 × 6.8 8.8 × 1.78 and 7.58 × 2.57
M. ophthalmasculata Basu and Haldar 2002 C. mrigala Eye muscle India 13.13 × 8.04 5.47 × 3.06 and 3.03 × 1.99
M. balantiocheili Levsen et al. 2004 Balantiocheilos melanopterus Central nervous system Thailand 12.3 × 10.0 5.7 × 3.6
M. naini Kaur and Singh 2008 C. mrigala Gills India 12.9 × 8.2 4.9 × 3.1 and 3.33 × 1.63
M. eirasi Kaur and Singh 2009a C. mrigala Gills India 8.6 × 6.7 3.2 × 1.57
M. slendrii Kaur and Singh 2009b C. mrigala Gills India 14.87 × 3.4 5.74 × 1.48
M. mehlhorni Kaur and Singh 2011 C. mrigala Gill lamellae (mucous membrane) India 8.9 × 6.8 3.7 × 2.5 and 2.6 × 1.5
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Plasmodia

Large, white colored, 4–5 in number and present all over the scales. They measure 1–2 mm in size. 10–15 spores were present per plasmodium.

Description

LS: 9.5 ± 0.28 (9.3–9.7)

WS: 7.7 ± 0.42 (7.4–8.0)

LPC: 4.8 ± 0.56 (4.4–5.2)

WPC: 1.8 ± 0.28 (1.6–2.0)

Ratio: LS/WS = 1.2

ICP: absent

NC: 6–7

Parietal folds: absent

TS: 0.4–0.5

Spores

Histozoic, spherical in shape with rounded anterior and posterior extremities. Shell valves are smooth and symmetrically thin. Parietal folds are absent. Polar capsules are two, equal, broadly pyriform with blunt anterior and rounded posterior ends. An intercapsular process is absent. Both polar capsule converge towards anterior end and are placed at a distance posteriorly occupying nearly half of the spore body cavity. Sporoplasm is agranular, half-moon shaped and homogenous occupying entire extracapsular space behind the polar capsules. Two capsulogenic nuclei measuring 1.17 μm in diameter are present. Sporoplasm contain two nuclei and an iodinophilous vacuole measuring 1.175–1.181 μm and 2.1–4.1(3.1 ± 1.37) μm in diameter, respectively. A prominent tubular structure originate from anterior end of one of the polar capsule and extend backward beyond the margin of the spore body and run upwards to join the posterior end of the other polar capsule.

Taxonomic summary of M. kanjali sp. nov.

Type host Cirrhina mrigala (Ham.) vern mrigal
Type locality Kanjali wetland, Punjab (India)
Type specimen Paratypes are spores stained in Ziehl-Neelsen and Iron-haematoxylin, slide no.CM/l/ZN/24.05.2009 and CM/l/IH 24.05.2009 deposited in the museum of Department of Zoology, Punjabi University, Patiala (Punjab), India. Pin code-147002
Site of infection Scales
Prevalence of infection 22/30(73.3%)
Etymology The species epithet kanjali has been given after the name of type locality “Kanjali wetland”
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Discussion

The present species was compared with M. pfeifferi Thelohan 1895 from muscles, gills, kidney, spleen, body cavity of Barbus barbus; M. calbasui Chakravarty 1939 from gall bladder of C. mrigala; M. mrigalae Chakravarty 1939 from scales of C. mrigala; M. catlae Chakravarty 1943 from gills of C. mrigala; M. nemacheili Weiser 1949 from head connective tissue of Nemacheilus barbatulus; M. indicum Tripathi 1952 from muscles, liver, intestinal wall of C. mrigala; M. amurensis Akhmerov 1960 from fin, gut of Cyprinus carpio haematopterus; M. sprostoni Shulman 1962 from gut serosa of Silurus europius; M. musajevi Kandilov 1963 from gills of Varicorhinus capoeta; M. rewensis Srivastava 1979 from scales of C. mrigala; M. carnaticus Seenappa and Manohar 1980 from gills of C. mrigala; M. exsulatus Pugachev 1980 from gills of Abramis brama, Catostomus catostomus; M. vanivilasae Seenappa and Manohar 1980 from beneath muscles, scales integument of C. mrigala; M. hosadurgensis Seenappa and Manohar 1981 from gills, muscles of C. mrigala; M. shetti Seenappa and Manohar 1981 from gills of C. mrigala; M. vedavatiensis Seenappa and Manohar 1981 from gills of C. mrigala; M. venkateshi Seenappa and Manohar 1981 from gills of C. mrigala; M. kuleminae Donec in Shulman 1984 from muscles, heart of Aspius aspius, Leuciscus leucisucs; M. indirae (Kundu 1985) Gupta and Khera 1988 from scales of tail fin of C. mrigala; M. haldari Gupta and Khera 1989 from fin, gills of C. mrigala; M. crucifilus (synonyms Gyrosporacrucifilus Qadri 1962) Landsberg and Lom 1991 from gills of Labeo fimbriatus; M. salmonis (Hoshina 1949) Landsberg and Lom 1991 from lower side of scales of Oncorhynchus keta; M. yogindrai (Tripathi 1952) Landsberg and Lom 1991 from inner side of scales of C. mrigala; M. orissae Haldar et al. 1997 from gills of C. mrigala; M. ophthalmasculata Basu and Haldar 2002 from eye muscle of C. mrigala; M. balantiocheili Levsen et al. 2004 from central nervous system of Balantiocheilos melanopterus; M. naini Kaur and Singh 2008 from gills of C. mrigala; M. eirasi Kaur and Singh 2009a from gills of C. mrigala; M. slendrii Kaur and Singh 2009b from gills of C. mrigala and M. mehlhorni Kaur and Singh 2011 from gill lamellae (mucous membrane) of C. mrigala, however, differ from above species in morphometric characteristics.

In the present species, spores are spherical having rounded anterior and posterior ends without parietal folds. An intercapsular process is absent. A prominent tubular structure originate from the anterior end of one of the polar capsule and extend backwards beyond the margin of the spore body and run upwards to join the posterior end of the other polar capsule. In this respect, the present species is comparable with M. crucifilus in which a thread-like structure has also been reported in the sporoplasm which join the posterior ends of each polar capsule directly (without any prominent bodies) and to M. eirasi having a band-like structure running in its sporoplasm originating from one rounded body to join the second rounded body present just beneath the other polar capsule (laterally). However, the spores of M. crucifilus and M. eirasi are pyriform, with more narrower and bluntly curved posterior end in the former and anterior end broader with posterior end bluntly rounded in the later. The thread-like structure/band in both the above mentioned species are confined to sporoplasm only unlike in the present species in which the tubular structure extend backwards beyond the margin of the spore body and runs upwards to join the posterior end of the other polar capsule.

On the basis these difference, we propose the species under study as new to the science and named it as M. kanjali sp. nov. through this communication.

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