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Taxonomy on three novel species of Sphaeromyxa Thélohan 1892 (Myxozoa, Bivalvulida, Sphaeromyxidae) with insight into the evolution of the genus

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Abstract

Three new myxosporeans of the genus Sphaeromyxa Thélohan 1892 were discovered from the coastal waters off Xiamen in the East China Sea and characterized based on morphological and SSU rDNA data. Sphaeromyxa photopectoralis sp. n. was described from Photopectoralis bindus, and Sphaeromyxa sebastisca sp. n. was described infecting both Sebastiscus marmoratus (type-host) and Scorpaenopsis cirrosa. These two species are morphologically consistent with the “balbianii” group, possessing straight myxospores and truncated ends, but are distinct from one another genetically and by myxospore dimensions. A third myxosporean infecting Siganus fuscescens was described as Sphaeromyxa xiamenensis sp. n., and this species is morphologically consistent with the “incurvata” group, bearing arcuate myxospores with rounded ends. The molecular phylogeny and estimated rRNA secondary structure suggest that marine sphaeromyxids are probably derived from freshwater myxidiids, and “incurvata” and “balbianii” groups might each represent independent evolutionary lineages. The present study also shows that S. limocapitis phylogenetically nested in “incurvata” group.

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Funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (nos. 31672280 and 31970409), project of Chongqing Science and Technology Commission (nos. cstc2017jcyjAX0165 and cstc2018jcyjAX0738), Venture and Innovation Support Program for Chongqing Overseas Returnees (cx2018108), and Science and Technology Research Program of Chongqing Municipal Education Commission (KJQN201900505).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China

    Wei Chen, Chengzhong Yang & Yuanjun Zhao

  2. Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China

    Wei Chen & Zuogang Peng

  3. Environmental and Forest Biology, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), 246 Illick Hall, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA

    Christopher M. Whipps

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  1. Wei Chen
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  2. Chengzhong Yang
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  3. Christopher M. Whipps
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  4. Zuogang Peng
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  5. Yuanjun Zhao
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Correspondence to Yuanjun Zhao.

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Chen, W., Yang, C., Whipps, C.M. et al. Taxonomy on three novel species of Sphaeromyxa Thélohan 1892 (Myxozoa, Bivalvulida, Sphaeromyxidae) with insight into the evolution of the genus. Parasitol Res 119, 1493–1503 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-020-06656-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-020-06656-w

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