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Issue: Vol. 5750 No. 3: 21 Jan. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-01-21
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5750.3.8
Page range: 429-437
Abstract views: 18
PDF downloaded: 0

Kudoa stigmatias sp. nov. (Cnidaria: Multivalvulida) infecting the brain of the marine fish Chaeturichthys stigmatias (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) in the Yellow Sea, China

The Laboratory of Aquatic Parasitology and Microbial Resources; School of Marine Science and Engineering; Qingdao Agricultural University; Qingdao City; Shandong Province; China
Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Aquality; Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute; Chinese Acaademy of Fishery Sciences; China
Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Aquality; Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute; Chinese Acaademy of Fishery Sciences; China
Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Aquality; Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute; Chinese Acaademy of Fishery Sciences; China
School of Animal Science and Technology; Foshan University; Nanhai District; Foshan City; Guangdong Province; China
The Laboratory of Aquatic Parasitology and Microbial Resources; School of Marine Science and Engineering; Qingdao Agricultural University; Qingdao City; Shandong Province; China
The Laboratory of Aquatic Parasitology and Microbial Resources; School of Marine Science and Engineering; Qingdao Agricultural University; Qingdao City; Shandong Province; China
Protist Molecular Biology Brain Myxozoa Chaeturichthys stigmatias Kudoa stigmatias sp. nov.

Abstract

In this study, 20 specimens of Chaeturichthys stigmatias were collected from a fishing dock in Qingdao city, Shandong Province, China, and examined for parasitic infections. Kudoa spores were detected in the brains of 35% of the specimens. The mature spores were quadrate and hemispherical in lateral view, measuring 8.1±0.4 (7.1–8.8) μm in length, 13.5±0.4 (12.1–13.8) μm in width, and 11.8±0.4 (10.6–12.5) μm in thickness (n = 50). Each spore possessed four shell valves and four pyriform polar capsules measuring 4.0±0.2 (3.5–4.2) × 3.1±0.2 (2.7–3.5) μm. Morphological comparisons revealed distinct differences from previously described Kudoa species. Sequence analysis of the partial LSU rDNA further confirmed that this species did not match any known Kudoa species. Furthermore, the phylogenetic tree showed that it clusters with muscle-infecting Kudoa species but is distantly related to brain-infecting taxa. Based on morphological and molecular evidence, we describe Kudoa stigmatias sp. nov. as a novel species, representing the first documented case of myxosporean infection in Chaeturichthys species.

 

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How to Cite

Dong, J., Jiang, Y., Tan, Z., Yao, L., Liu, P., Zhao, X. & Zhang, J. (2026) Kudoa stigmatias sp. nov. (Cnidaria: Multivalvulida) infecting the brain of the marine fish Chaeturichthys stigmatias (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) in the Yellow Sea, China. Zootaxa, 5750 (3), 429–437. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5750.3.8