OCCURRENCE OF A MICROSPOREAN WITH CHARACTERISTICS OF GLUGEA-ANOMALA IN ORNAMENTAL FISH OF THE FAMILY CYPRINODONTIDAE

Ornamental fishes of the species Nothobranchius eggersi and N. korthau sae (Cyprinodontidae) were infected by a microsporean of the genus Glu gea. In various body organs, primarily in the intestinal wall, it elic ited the formation of xenomas with a structure typical of Glugea anoma la (Moniez, 1887). In fact, the shape and size of spores coincided wit h G. anomala and there was no significant difference in ultrastructura l features of either the xenoma, its developmental stages, or mature s pores. However, because the cyprinodontid hosts are from a different f amily and there was no known contact with the original hosts of G. ano mala, the identification of the present parasite as this species canno t be confirmed and requires further study. Microsporean infection was also found in Fundulopanchax filamentosus and Cynolebias nigripinnis, and there are indications that it might be identical with that of Noth obranchius.