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Ultrastructure, development, and host–parasite relationship of a new species of the genus Pleistophora—a microsporidian parasite of the marine fish Epinephelus chlorostignei

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Abstract

The life cycle of a new microsporidian of the genus Pleistophora is described. This parasite infects the epithelial cells of the gut and the peritoneal cavity of the Red Sea fish, Epinephelus chlorostignei. All stages develop within a special structure, the sporophorocyst, which is covered by a thick dense wall. This wall grows along with the growth of the parasites inside. Meronts are uni- to binucleate, which divide and constantly give rise to sporonts. During transition to sporonts, the cell border of the meronts increases its thickness, temporarily featuring thick irregular projections. Eventually, a uniform thick sporont wall is formed; then, the sporont cells detach themselves from the wall (future wall of the sporophorous vesicle, SPV) and start a series of divisions to produce sporoblasts. The SPV wall is compact, has no pores, and consists of two layers. Mature spores measure about 2.0 × 1.8 µm. They possess a polar filament with 20–28 coils, a posterior vacuole, and a polaroplast made up of an outer part of dense and closely spaced lamellae encircling an inner part of widely spaced lamellae. All morphological and ultrastructural features indicate that the described microsporidian parasite belongs to the genus Pleistophora.

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Acknowledgment

This work is supported by the Center of Excellence, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

    Fathy Abdel-Ghaffar, Abdel-Rahman Bashtar & Kareem Morsy

  2. Department of Parasitology, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Heinz Mehlhorn

  3. Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Khaled Al-Rasheid & Ebtsam Al-Olayan

  4. Zoology Department, Girls College, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    Eglal Koura

Authors
  1. Fathy Abdel-Ghaffar
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  2. Abdel-Rahman Bashtar
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  3. Heinz Mehlhorn
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  4. Khaled Al-Rasheid
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  5. Ebtsam Al-Olayan
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  6. Eglal Koura
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  7. Kareem Morsy
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Correspondence to Fathy Abdel-Ghaffar.

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Abdel-Ghaffar, F., Bashtar, AR., Mehlhorn, H. et al. Ultrastructure, development, and host–parasite relationship of a new species of the genus Pleistophora—a microsporidian parasite of the marine fish Epinephelus chlorostignei . Parasitol Res 106, 39–46 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-009-1633-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-009-1633-4

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