Skin nodules associated with parasitism with Henneguya sp. (Cnidaria: Myxosporea) in the neotropical fish Cyphocharax modestus

Abstract

A new myxozoan species, Henneguya sp., is described based on material from skin of Cyphocharax modestus. Mature myxospores are were elongate and ellipsoidal, measuring 21.4 ± 1.2 (19.4–23.2) μm in total length, 5.1 ± 0.3 (4.5–5.8) μm in width, 11.9 ± 0.5 (10.9–12.7) μm in body length and 9.6 ± 0.7 (8.4–10.5) μm in length of the caudal process. The polar capsules were elongated and had unequal sizes, with length of 5.1 ± 0.4 (4.5–6.0) μm and 5.6 ± 0.4 (4.9–6.3) μm for smaller and larger respectively and width of 1.8 ± 0.2 (1.4–2.0) μm. The larger polar capsule had 8 turns in polar filament while the smaller polar capsule had 5 turns in polar filament. The macroscopic analysis revealed the presence of large nodules, which were located before and after the dorsal fin of the hosts. The histopathological analysis showed the development of nodules filled with plasmodia, surrounded by loose connective tissue, developed in the dermis of the skin. Many cysts containing countless spores, as well as free spores, were located in the dermis and hypodermis of the hosts, causing the disorganization of the connective tissue that is responsible for the support. This is the first record of a Henneguya species in C. modestus.