Table 1 Hyperparasitic myxosporean infections of platyhelminthes

Myxidium incomptavermi

n. sp.

(present study)

Diplectanocotyla gracilis

gill monogenean

Megalops cyprinoides

(Indo-Pacific tarpon)

Brackish/mangroves

Langkawi, Malaysia

Marked pathology, parenchymal tissues packed with spores.

Paired spores observed in parenchymal tissues. Likely polysporous within a pansporoblast

Not observed despite careful screening; but amplified via PCR

Myxidium giardi

(doubtful ID)

[13]

Pseudodactylogyrus bini

gill monogenean

Anguilla anguilla

(European eel)

River in Northwest Spain.

Not mentioned, but numerous 'corpuscles' and spores are always present, replacing monogenean tissues.

Not described, but corpuscles of differing sizes were present and only in hyperparasitised individuals.

Myxidium giardi was not found in the eel with hyperparasitic myxosporeans

Myxidium sp.

[14]

Haliotrema sp.

gill monogenean

Platycephalus sp.

(flathead)

Brackish water, Lake Hamana, Japan

Marked pathology, parenchymal tissues packed with spores.

Paired spores observed in parenchymal tissues. Likely polysporous within a pansporoblast

Not found, despite careful screening

Fabespora vermicola

[11]

Crassicutis archosargi

intestinal digenean

Archosargus probatocephalus

(sheepshead seabream)

Estuarine, East USA.

Highly pathogenic, necrosis of the gonads leads to a total loss of fecundity.

Histozoic trophozoites, in parenchymal cells and in the integument.

Disporous.

Not found, despite careful screening

Fabespora sp.

[12]

Allopodocotyle chrysophrii

intestinal digenean

Sparus aurata

(gilthead seabream)

Brackish water lagoon and Mediterranean coast

Sporogonic stages present within the tegument and parenchymal tissues cause tissue damage.

Monosporous in the tegument, and generally disporous in the parenchymal tissues.

Not found