A new myxosporean parasite, Kudoa camarguensis n. sp., recorded on two goby species (Teleostei : Pisces) in the Rhone Delta (Mediterranean Sea, France)

A new species of myxosporean of the genus Kudoa was found in the muscle tis sues of Pomatoschistus minutus (Pallas, 1770), a migratory fish species Fro m the Mediterranean Sea. Previously this Kudoa species had been observed in Pomatoschistus microps (Kroyer, 1838), a sedentary species of the Vaccares lagoon system. The parasite caused rapid myoliquefaction of the affected m uscles within one hour after host death. Using both Light and electron micr oscopy, whitish, longitudinal, spindle-shaped bodies, 2-5 mm long and 1-2 m m wide, were found in the caudal peduncle or in muscle tissues of the abdom inal wall. Spore length, width, and thickness (n = 30) ranged between 4.4-6 .0 mu m, 6.4-8.0 mu m, and 4.4-6.0 mu m, respectively, while the polar caps ules averaged 2.5 X 1.5 mu m (n = 30). Anatomic comparison with other myxos porean parasites enabled us to determine this to be a new species That we n ame Kudoa camarguensis n. sp.