BIZARRE ORGANISM FROM THE SKIN OF MAHI MAHI, CORYPHAENA-HIPPURUS L (TELEOSTEI, CORYPHAENIDAE)

Superficial stellate cells of an unknown origin were detected on the e pidermis of juvenile mahi mahi, Coryphaena hippurus L., up to 60 days of age. The cells occurred in large numbers, and were detected in both wild and cultured fish. International authorities were unable to iden tify the organism and there was no pathology associated with the prese nce of the cells on the skin. Because of the fine cytoplasmic interdig itations between the organism and the host cell, and the close ecologi cal association with both wild and cultured juveniles examined, it was thought that the cells could possibly be highly modified skin cells. We report here that the spinous cells possess DNA sequences encoding 1 6S subunit ribosomal RNA genes distinct from those of mahi mahi, and a lso that restriction enzyme digests of genomic DNA from the spinous ce lls and from mahi mahi produced distinct patterns after electrophoreti c separation. This suggests that the spinous cells are a bizarre comme nsal organism displaying a close physical and ecological association w ith the fish host.