Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-r7xzm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T22:25:51.983Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Haemogregarines and other blood infections from deep demersal fish of the Porcupine Seabight, north-east Atlantic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 April 2001

A.J. Davies
Affiliation:
School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kingston University, Kingston, Surrey, KT1 2EE, UK
N.R. Merrett
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK Muttlebury's Mead, Chard Street, Thorncombe, Chard, TA20 4NB, UK

Abstract

Giemsa-stained blood smears were examined from 70 deep demersal fish of 27 species in 20 genera, trawled from depths of 747–4143 m in the region of the Porcupine Seabight, north-east Atlantic. Infections were found in four species of teleosts in three families: 1/3 Alepocephalus rostratus and 1/3 Narcetes stomias (Alepocephalidae); 2/3 Antimora rostrata (Moridae); and 1/1 Cataetyx laticeps (Bythitidae). Blood films from C. laticeps and Antimora rostrata were well preserved but those from the other two species were less satisfactory. The blood parasites included two types of haemogregarines, Haemohormidium-like and viral erythrocytic necrosis (VEN)-like infections. Haemogregarina (sensu lato) johnstoni sp. nov. was described from C. laticeps captured at 1541 m. This haemogregarine was unusual in apparently having dimorphic gamonts, some with prominent caps. A second, but monomorphic, haemogregarine found in Alepocephalus rostratus captured from 985 m, was named as Desseria sp. since only extracellular stages were observed. Haemohormidium-like organisms were found in Antimora rostrata taken from 2441 m, and were similar to those described previously from this deep-sea fish. A VEN-like infection from one N. stomias captured from 2567 m was reported. No marked effects on host cells were evident in any of these blood infections.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2000 Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)