Fig. 2

Identification of Hematodinium in fresh haemolymph preparations using phase contrast microscopy. Parasites were identified by their lack of attachment and spreading to slides (cf. the haemocytes, H) and their highly refractile nature and irregular sizes and shapes. Parasites were found singly (a, b) particularly in low severity infections or in clumps (c) in those crabs with high intensity infections. Note the variation in size and shape of the parasites in panel c with elongate (E), multinucleate (M) and small (unlabelled arrows) forms. Scale-bars: 25 µm