Ceratomyxa pallida

Type host: Sarpa salpa Linnaeus, 1758 goldline sea bream (Perciformes: Sparidae) Other host: Boops boops Linnaeus, 1758 bogue Type locality: Mediterranean off Monaco, France. Other localities: Mediterranean off Tunisia: Location 1: Gulf of Tunis (36 ° 45 ’ N, 10 ° 15 ’ E); Location 2: Bay of Bizerte (37 ° 20 ’ N, 9 ° 53 ’ E). Site of infection: Within gall bladder Prevalence: The overall prevalence is 20 % (66 / 330) (Fig. 9). At location 1, the prevalence of infection is 22.86 % (48 / 210) distributed as following, 03 / 2012: 13.3 % (4 / 30); 04 / 2012: 20 % (6 / 30); 05 / 2012: 30 % (9 / 30); 06 / 2012: 23.3 % (7 / 30); 07 / 2012: 20 % (6 / 30); 08 / 2012: 10 % (3 / 30); 05 / 2013: 40 % (8 / 20); 06 / 2013: 50 % (5 / 10). At location 2, the prevalence of infection is 15 % (18 / 120) distributed as following, 03 / 2013: 13.3 % (4 / 30); 04 / 2013: 13.3 % (4 / 30); 05 / 2013: 16.7 % (5 / 30); 06 / 2013: 16.7 % (5 / 30) (see Table 4). Mean intensity: 126.9 ± 20.8 spores / infected fish (++++++) (Fig. 10) (see Table 4). Type-material: Digitized photos of syntype spores were deposited in the parasitological collection of the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN), Paris, Coll. No. ZS 129. Description Vegetative stages. Numerous spherical trophozoïtes found often in massive groups with variety of size (Fig. 2 A). They were seen floating in the bile and contained within several refractile granules and inner generative cells (Fig. 2 A), Monosporic plasmodia (n = 30) (Figs. 2 C – D), mostly spherical to amoeboid, measuring 22.9 ± 2.1 (20 – 25) µm in diameter. The amoeboid plasmodia showed a pseudopodia extending from its periphery (Fig. 2 C) while other spherical seemed disadvantaged from any type of pseudopodia (Figs. 2 C, D) Spores (n = 30 fresh spores). Mature spores were slightly crescent-shaped with anterior margin convex and posterior slightly concave in sutural view (Figs. 2 E – F, H, 8 B), measuring 7.32 ± 0.61 (6.5 – 8) µm in length and 28 ± 1.5 (26 – 30) µm in thickness. Posterior angle was concave to straight 160.9 ± 4.6 (154 – 170 °). Two valves, roughly equal, smoothly ovoid in lateral view tapering gradually toward the end, which one rarely more attenuated than the other. Straight sutural line visible between valves. A binucleate sporoplasm with several visible sporolasmosomes occupied almost the entire spore cavity and rarely dispersed asymmetrically (Fig. 2 E). Polar capsules were almost spherical, 2.95 ± 0.47 (2.5 – 3.6) µm in length and 2.92 ± 0.39 (2.5 – 3.6) µm in width (n = 30). The polar filament formed four turns arranged along the longitudinal axis of the capsule. Remarks