Determination of miksozoa parasites infecting some bony fishes by morphological and molecular methods

In the present study that was carried out in Sinop coast of the Black Sea, samples of 15 teleost fish species (Alosa immaculata, Spicara maena, Atherina hepsetus, Diplodus annularis, Trachurus trachurus, Neogobius melanostomus, Gobius niger, Gaidropsarus mediterraneus, Scorpaena porcus, Solea solea, Parablennius tentacularis, Parablennius sanguinolentus, Sarda sarda, Engraulis engrasicolus ve Symphodus cinereus) were investigated in order to determine myxozoa parasites infecting some bony fishes by morphological and molecular methods and to determine their phylogenetic relationships in the period between September 2015 and August 2016. A total of 16 parasite species were identified in 13 fish species out of investigated ones. Infection prevalence (%) and intensities of myxozoan parasites infecting fish tissues along with morphological description of all identifed parasite species and molecular descriptions of 5 parasite species were calculated and determined. Based on our results Kudoa niluferi, K. anatolica and Ortholinea sp1 were registed as new species for science. Moreover, Sinuolinea rebae, which is known to be infecting mainly urinary bladder and rarely gall bladder as well as kidney, has been determined in the muscle tissue of the host fish for the first time. In addition to above findings, first molecular identification of Ortholinea gobiusi as well as first registration of Zschokkella iskovi and Ceratomyxa scorpaeni for the Black Sea parasite fauna were realized in this study. Molecular results obtained for Ceratomyxa scorpaeni have the value of determining phylogenetic relations between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea inhabiting individuals of the same species.