A myxosporean, Myxobolus nodulointestinalis has been found in the intestinalis walls of Barbus fishes (Barbus grypus, B. sharpeyi, B. esocinus, B. barbulus and B. pectorials), from Karun and Karkhe Rivers (Khozestan, Iran). Large myxobolus cysts containing mature spores were located in the smooth muscular layer of intestinal wall. The spores had an elongated oval or trapezoid shape. The cysts were branched and separated by septa. They bulged deep into the lumen of the gut and the abdominal cavity. Plasmodia showed an affinity to smooth muscle cells and were covered by a degenerated layer of muscular elements. Because of commercially importance of Barbus fishes for pond culture in Iran, this parasite can be acquiring economic importance in aquaculture.
Seyed Saeid Ghaem Maghami , Behyar Jalali Jafari and Mahmoud Masoumian . Myxobolus nodulointestinalis Intestinal Parasite of Barbus Fishes in Khozestan, Iran.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36478/javaa.2008.231.234
URL: https://www.makhillpublications.co/view-article/1680-5593/javaa.2008.231.234