Morphological and molecular confirmation of Myxobolus cerebralis myxospores infecting wild‑caught and cultured trout in North Carolina (SE USA).

We used microscopy and molecular biology to provide the first documentation of infections of Myxobolus cerebralis (Myxozoa: Myxobolidae), the etiological agent of whirling disease, in trout (Salmonidae) from North Carolina (USA) river basins. A total of 1085 rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, 696 brown trout Salmo trutta, and 319 brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis from 43 localities across 9 river basins were screened. Myxospores were observed microscopically in pepsin-trypsin digested heads of rainbow and brown trout from the Watauga River Basin.

Is Marine Dispersion of the Lethargic Crab Disease Possible? Assessing the Tolerance of Exophiala cancerae to a Broad Combination of Salinities, Temperatures, and Exposure Times.

Since 1997, an emergent fungal disease named lethargic crab disease (LCD) has decimated stocks of the edible mangrove land crab Ucides cordatus (Linnaeus, 1763) (Brachyura: Ocypodidae) along the Brazilian coast, threatening the mangrove ecosystem and causing socioeconomic impacts. Evidence from a variety of sources suggests that the black yeast Exophiala cancerae (Herpotrichiellaceae, Chaetothyriales) has been responsible for such epizootic events. Based on the spatiotemporal patterns of the LCD outbreaks, the well-established surface ocean currents, and the range of ecological traits of Exophiala spp.

Two new species of Elopicola (Digenea: Aporocotylidae) from Hawaiian ladyfish, Elops hawaiensis (Eastern Sea) and Atlantic tarpon, Megalops atlanticus (Gulf of Mexico) with a comment on monophyly of elopomorph blood flukes.

Elopicola bristowi sp. n. infects the blood vascular system of Hawaiian ladyfish, Elops hawaiensis, in the Eastern Sea.

A new species of Spirorchis MacCallum, 1918 (Digenea: Schistosomatoidea) and Spirorchis cf. scripta from chicken turtle, Deirochelys reticularia (Emydidae), with an emendation and molecular phylogeny of Spirorchis.

Chicken turtles, Deirochelys reticularia (Latreille in Sonnini et Latreille) (Testudines: Emydidae) from Alabama, USA were infected by Spirorchis collinsi Roberts et Bullard sp. n. and Spirorchis cf.

Blood flukes of Asiatic softshell turtles: revision of Coeuritrema Mehra, 1933 (Digenea: Schistosomatoidea) and a new species infecting Chinese softshell turtles, Pelodiscus sinensis (Trionychidae), from Vietnam.

Coeuritrema Mehra, 1933, previously regarded as a junior subjective synonym of Hapalorhynchus Stunkard, 1922, herein is revised to include Coeuritrema lyssimus Mehra, 1933 (type species), Coeuritrema rugatus (Brooks et Sullivan, 1981) comb. n., and Coeuritrema platti Roberts et Bullard sp.

New Genus of Blood Fluke (Digenea: Schistosomatoidea) from Malaysian Freshwater Turtles (Geoemydidae) and its Phylogenetic Position Within Schistosomatoidea.

:  Baracktrema obamai n. gen., n.

Two New Genera of Fish Blood Flukes (Digenea: Aporocotylidae) from Catfishes in the Peruvian Amazon.

Cladocaecum tomasscholzi n. gen., n.

New species of Proterometra (Digenea: Azygiidae) and its life cycle in the Chickasawhay River, Mississippi, USA, with supplemental observations of Proterometra autraini.

We describe Proterometra ariasae n. sp. based upon cercariae shed from a freshwater snail, Pleurocera sp.

Blood flukes (Digenea: Aporocotylidae) infecting body cavity of South American catfishes (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae): two new species from rivers in Bolivia, Guyana and Peru with a re-assessment of Plehniella Szidat, 1951.

Plehniella Szidat, 1951 is emended based on new collections from South American long-whiskered catfishes. It is clearly differentiated from Sanguinicola Plehn, 1905 by lacking lateral tegumental body spines and by having 6 asymmetrical caeca. Plehniella sabajperezi sp.

Skin lesions on yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares from Gulf of Mexico outer continental shelf: Morphological, molecular, and histological diagnosis of infection by a capsalid monogenoid.

We characterize lesion-associated capsaline infections on yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, in the Gulf of Mexico by comparing our specimens with published descriptions and museum specimens ascribed to Capsala biparasiticum and its synonyms: vouchers of C. biparasiticum from parasitic copepods; the holotype of Capsala neothunni; and vouchers of Capsala abidjani. Those from parasitic copepods differed by having a small, rounded body, large anterior attachment organs, closely spaced dorsomarginal body sclerites, small testes, and a short and wide testicular field.

Proterometra epholkos sp. n. (Digenea: Azygiidae) from Terrapin Creek, Alabama, USA: molecular characterization of life cycle, redescription of Proterometra albacauda, and updated lists of host and geographic locality records for Proterometra spp. in North America.

Proterometra epholkos sp. n. asexually reproduces in the stream dwelling prosobranch, Elimia cf.

Diversity and ancestry of flatworms infecting blood of nontetrapod craniates "fishes".

We herein review all published molecular studies (life history, taxonomy, and phylogeny) and summarize all GenBank sequences and primer sets for the "fish blood flukes". Further, by analysing new and all available sequence data for the partial D1-D2 domains of 28S from 83 blood fluke taxa, we explore the evolutionary expansion of flatworm parasitism in the blood of craniates. Based on this analysis, the blood flukes infecting marine bony fishes (Euteleostei) are monophyletic.

Blood flukes (Digenea: Aporocotylidae) of epipelagic lamniforms: redescription of Hyperandrotrema cetorhini from basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) and description of a new congener from shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) off Alabama.

We emend the original generic diagnosis for Hyperandrotrema Maillard and Ktari, 1978 , and redescribe its type species Hyperandrotrema cetorhini Maillard and Ktari, 1978 (Digenea: Aporocotylidae Odhner, 1912), based on the holotype and 2 paratypes collected from the heart of basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus). We also describe Hyperandrotrema walterboegeri Orélis-Ribeiro and Bullard n. sp.

Black yeast biota in the mangrove, in search of the origin of the lethargic crab disease (LCD).

Knowledge of natural ecology is essential for a better understanding of pathogenicity and opportunism in black yeast-like fungi. Although etiological agents of diseases caused by these fungi are supposed to originate from the environment, their isolation from nature is difficult. This is probably due to their oligotrophic nature, low competitive ability, and, overall, insufficient data on their natural habitat.

Fulfilling Koch's postulates confirms the mycotic origin of Lethargic Crab Disease.

In the northeast region of the Brazilian coast, a disease has been causing massive mortalities of populations of the mangrove land crab, Ucides cordatus (L.) since 1997. The clinical signs of this disease, which include lethargy and ataxia, led to the disease being termed Lethargic Crab Disease (LCD).