Myxospore density of Kudoa inornata varies significantly within symmetrical white muscle tissue replicates of its fish host, the spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus.

The spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus, is a popular game fish in the southeastern USA. It is estimated that nearly 90% of the adult population in South Carolina estuaries are infected in their skeletal muscle by the myxosporean, Kudoa inornata. However, little is known about this parasite's biology, including the distribution and densities of myxospores within tissues of infected fish, which we expect affect the physiology of their hosts.

Limited accrual of myxospores of Kudoa inornata (Cnidaria: Myxosporea) in their wild fish hosts, Cynoscion nebulosus (Teleostei: Sciaenidae).

Kudoa inornata is a myxosporean that infects the seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus. Increased prevalence of infection as fish age and absence of inflammation against plasmodia led to the hypothesis that seatrout retain and accumulate myxospores throughout their lives. However, opportunistic observations that wild-caught seatrout cleared infection when maintained in aquaculture conditions and evidence of encapsulated infected necrotic myofibers suggested that fish develop an immunity against this parasite, or that myxospores have a limited life span.