Characterisation of myxozoan fauna of western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis (Baird and Gerard) (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae), inhabiting experimental catfish ponds in Mississippi, USA.

Characterising myxozoan taxa parasitising fish hosts in catfish aquaculture ponds is crucial to understanding myxozoan community dynamics in these diverse and complex ecological systems. This work investigated the myxozoan fauna of the western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, a common, incidental species found in catfish aquaculture ponds in the southeastern United States. 598 fish were sampled in May of 2018 and 2019 from the pond facility of the Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center in Stoneville, Mississippi, USA.

First detection of Erysipelothrix sp. infection in western mosquitofish Gambusia affinis inhabiting catfish aquaculture ponds in Mississippi, USA.

Native and introduced fish can serve as reservoirs for pathogens of cultured fish species. In the current study, 351 archived western mosquitofish Gambusia affinis collected from experimental catfish production ponds in Mississippi, USA, were surveyed histologically to evaluate their potential as vectors for fish pathogens. In addition to epitheliocystis and multiple metazoan parasites, 8 fish had widespread basophilic colonies of small Gram-positive rods associated primarily with stroma supporting the skeletal muscle and bone, as well as connective tissue components of other tissues and organ systems, such as perivascular adventitia and basement membranes.

Arrested Development of Henneguya ictaluri (Cnidaria: Myxobolidae) in ♀ Channel Catfish × ♂ Blue Catfish Hybrids.

Henneguya ictaluri is the etiologic agent of proliferative gill disease (PGD) in farm-raised Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus and hybrid catfish in the southeastern United States, and significant annual losses are attributed to this disease. Research suggests that H. ictaluri infection dynamics in Blue Catfish I.

Myxobolus ictiobus n. sp. and Myxobolus minutus n. sp. (Cnidaria: Myxobolidae) from the gills of the smallmouth buffalo Ictiobus bubalus Rafinesque (Cypriniformes: Catostomidae).

The smallmouth buffalo Ictiobus bubalus Rafinesque (Catostomidae) is native to North American waterways and occasionally grown in pond aquaculture. Species of Myxobolus Bütschli, 1882 have been reported from the gills, integument, and intestinal tract of buffalo fish, although there is ambiguity in some host records. In the summer of 2013, thirteen adult smallmouth buffalo were seined from a 0.

Chronic pathology and longevity of Drepanocephalus spathans infections in juvenile Channel Catfish.

Drepanocephalus spathans (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) is a common parasite of the double-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus. The cercariae of D. spathans have been shown infective to juvenile Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus.

Comparative susceptibility of Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish, and their hybrid cross to experimental challenge with Bolbophorus damnificus (Digenea: Bolbophoridae) cercariae.

The digenetic trematode Bolbophorus damnificus has been implicated in significant losses in catfish aquaculture since the late 1990s. The complex life cycle sequentially involves the American white pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, the marsh rams horn snail Planorbella trivolvis, and Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus. Research supports anecdotal reports from the industry, suggesting that the hybrid of Channel Catfish×Blue Catfish I.

Molluscicidal activity of vulgarone B against ram's horn snail (Planorbella trivolvis).

The ram's horn snail (Planorbella trivolvis (Say)) is an intermediate host for a digenetic trematode (Bolbophorus confusus (Krause) Dubois) that has recently been discovered to be a significant problem in commercial channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus Raf) production ponds in the Mississippi Delta region in the USA. In these catfish ponds, the digenetic life cycle of this parasitic trematode involves two intermediate hosts, the ram's horn snail and the channel catfish, and the final host, the American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Gmelin). One approach to eradicate this problem is to disrupt the life cycle of the parasitic trematodes by eliminating the snails.