Henneguya piaractus n.sp. (Myxozoa: Myxobolidae), a gill parasite of Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg, 1887 (Osteichthyes: characidae), in Brazil

Abstract

Henneguya piaractus n.sp. was found from the gill filaments of Piaractus mesopotamicus (Characidae). Fishes were collected during a year from the reservoir at Centro de Aquicultura da UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil. The prevalence of this parasite was 97.3% in the gills of farmed fish. Observations on spore development into the cysts were done. Studies with scanning electon microscopy were performed to observe the spore and cyst structure.