Morphological, Histological, and Molecular Evidence of Myxobolus Spinacurvatura (Cnidaria: Myxosporea) From Mugil cephalus in the Turkish Black Sea Coast

Abstract

In the present study, a total of 30 M. cephalus captured from the Samsun coast of the Black Sea, Turkey were examined for myxozoa infections. Different sizes of whitish and rounded cyst-like plasmodia were macroscopically detected in the liver and intestine wall of M. cephalus. Morphological and histological examinations were performed. The SSU rDNA was amplified using nested PCR and myxosporean-specific primers. The present Myxobolus species was identified as M. spinacurvatura based on the spore morphology and host/organ specificity. In the present study, morphological, histological, and molecular data on M. spinacurvatura were presented. Furthermore, BLASTn research showed that SSU rDNA sequences of M. spinacurvatura (accession number MH374629) were identical to that of the reference sequence of M. spinacurvatura (accession from AF378341) recorded previously. The current study includes the first record and molecular evidence of M. spinacurvatura infecting M. cephalus from the Turkish waters. To date, there is no report on comprehensive morphological, histopathological, and molecular data of M. spinacurvatura in M. cephalus as a typical host. Moreover, the new valid SSU rDNA sequence of M. spinacurvatura (accession number MH374629) was the second record in the GenBank. The present SSU rDNA sequence can also be used to construct a phylogenetic tree with other mugiliform-infecting Myxobolus species worldwide.