Molecular characterization of Myxobolus catmrigalae (Myxosporea: Myxobolidae) infecting the gill lamellae of carp Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton)

The present study attempted sequencing the 18S rRNA gene of infecting the gill lamellae of carp, and compared its genetic homology and phylogenetic characteristics with 18S rRNA genes of other spp. The infected fish had up to 3 small, creamy white plasmodia per gill filament with 30-50 spores each. The spore size was 17.90 ± 0.70 × 7.40 ± 0.40 μm. The sporoplasm contained two large nuclei of size 0.57 ± 0.09 μm and no iodinophilous vacuole. The DNA sequence of was clustered phylogenetically with other spp. infecting the gills of cyprinids available in GenBank, which showed 77-87 % homogeneity. On the phylogenetic tree, (KC933944) was clustered with (HM991164) infecting the gill lamellae of silver carp, . The species most closely related to in GenBank was (AF507973) infecting the gill lamellae of big head carp, with 87 % homogeneity. This is the first report on molecular characterization of gill lamellae infecting