A new myxosporean,Zschokkella leptatherinae n. sp. (Myxozoa: Myxidiidae), from the hepatic ducts and gall-bladder of Australian marine fishes

A new myxosporean, Zschokkella leptatherinae n. sp., was found in the hepatic ducts and gall bladder of five atherinid fish species, Leptatherina presbyteroides, Atherinosoma microstoma, Kestratherina brevirostris, K. esox and K. hepsetoides, collected at Dru Point, Margate in south-eastern Tasmania, Australia. This species has a round, ellipsoid or irregular plasmodium. The plasmodium is enclosed by a surface membrane and the cytoplasm is composed of an outer homogeneous ectoplasm and an inner coarse endoplasm with large clear areas, numerous vacuoles and spores which differentiate in the central area of the endoplasm. The characteristic metrical data of the myxosporean are as follows: spores 15.3 x 11.8 mu m; polar capsules 3.9 x 3.4 mu m. This is the third Zschokkella species reported from Australia.