Study of Myxosporea (Myxozoa), infecting worldwide mullets with description of a new species

Existing data on Myxozoa parasites infecting mullets were reviewed. The validity of nine species names was updated. Sixteen species were registered during analysis of original material collected in the Mediterranean, Black, Azov, and Japan Seas in 2004–2005. A new bivalvulid myxozoan parasite, Myxobolus adeli n. sp., was described from the inner organs of the golden grey mullet Liza aurata (Risso, 1810) collected in the Mediterranean (Ebro Delta, Spain), Black Sea (Kerch Strait, Ukraine), and Azov Sea (Genichesk, Ukraine) coastal waters. It is characterized by the presence of elongated, spindle-like cysts 0.5–1.3 mm in size, filled with wide transverse-oval spores about 6.2 × 7.2 × 4.6 μm in size, with two equal polar capsules measuring about 3.0 × 1.8 μm and short polar filament, turned into four coils. The obtained data show that this species differs from all previously described Myxobolus spp. with equal polar capsules. Comparative study of Myxobolus spp. recorded in worldwide mullets indicates a close relationship with M. adeli n. sp. and Myxobolus improvisus Isjumova, 1964 registered in mullets. Probably, the last species includes representatives of some different species, infecting freshwater and marine hosts.