Four Novel Myxobolus Species (Cnidaria: Myxozoa) Infecting Anatolian Khramulya Capoeta Tinca (Cyprinidae) in Northern Turkey

Abstract

We identified Myxobolus anatolicus Pekmezci, Yardimci, Yilmaz & Polat, 2014 and 4 novel Myxobolus species from the Anatolian khramulya Capoeta tinca (Cyprinidae) in northern Turkey based on morphology, histology, and phylogenetic analysis. M. karaeri sp. nov. plasmodia were observed in the skin doublets between fin rays, the surfaces of the operculum, the gill arch membrane, and in the skin of the fin base. M samsunensis sp. nov. plasmodia were observed in epithelial tissue inside and on the surface and midline of the gill filaments. M cakmaid sp. nov. presented as a typical vascular species, which develops in large plasmodia at the end of the gill filaments. The chondrophilic M. ekingeni sp. nov. was detected by histology inside the cartilaginous gill arch and the cartilaginous gill rays of the filaments. Phylogenetic analysis of small subunit ribosomal DNA sequences revealed that M. karaeri sp. nov. and M. samsunensis sp. nov. were clustered with Myxobolus species that infect gills, scales, and fins of cyprinids. M. cakmaid sp. nov. grouped with Myxobolus species that exclusively infect the gills of cyprinids. No molecular data were available for M. ekingeni sp. nov.