A biological study on myxobolus ichkeulensis (Bahri and marquez, 1996, myxosporea) at grey mullet's (Mugil cephalus linnaeus, 1758) that were caught at east mediterranean coastline of Turkey

In this study, some biological specifications of Myxobolus ichkeulensis was investigated that infects Grey Mullets (Mugil cephalus.) The study was performed in three stages. In the first stage, the infection level of Myxobolus ichkeulensis on Grey Mullets was determined. In the second stage, the effects of different salinity and temperature values on infection infestation levels were evaluated at Grey Mullets that were infected by Myxobolus ichkeulensis and at the final stage the life phases of M.ichkeulensis was tried to determined by optic and electron microscopy.At the first stage, 109 of 1200 (9,08 %) fishes were found to be infected by M.ichkeulensis; the rate of infection was found to be higher at the July-September interval.At the second stage, although the infection rate of M.ichkeulensis was found to be highest at 38 ppt salinity and 30 oC temperature; at 0 ppt salinity, the number of cysts were decreased gradually and disappeared at the end of 30th day.At the final stage, in which development stages of M.ichkeulensis were evaluated, spores were developed in a single plasmodia which is surrounded by host cells, however, it was found that unsynchonized polar capsule development was occurred along spore development and the development stages were ended similar to other Myxobolus species.