First molecular data on the validity of Myxobolus ichkeulensis (Cnidaria: Myxosporea) from Mugil cephalus (Mugilidae) in Turkish waters

To date, there is no report on molecular characterisation of Myxobolus ichkeulensis in Mugil cephalus (Mugilidae) in Turkish marine waters. The aim of the current research was to provide the first molecular data on M. ichkeulensis from M. cephalus in Turkish Black Sea coasts. A total of 40 M. cephalus specimens were examined for the presence of M. ichkeulensis in the Turkish Black Sea coasts during January 2017 and April 2017. In the present study, M. ichkeulensis was identified based upon the myxospore morphology, host and tissue specificity, and SSU rRNA sequence. Phylogenetic analysis using neighbor-joining also revealed that our isolate (#GZP-2018-Samsun1) was clustered with other Myxobolus species that infect M. cephalus. The current study includes the morphological and histopathological descriptions and first molecular data on M. ichkeulensis in M. cephalus in Turkish marine waters. M. ichkeulensis was also reported from the M. cephalus in the coast of the Black Sea in Turkey for the first time. Moreover, our current genetic data was recorded as the new valid SSU rRNA sequence (MH374629) for M. ichkeulensis in the GenBank database.