This study demonstrates that Pleistophora schubergi Zwölfer, 1927, a microsporidium originally isolated from the midgut epithelium of Nygmia phaeorrhoea Don (Euproctis chrysorrhoea L.) and Porthetria dispar L., and subsequently reported in several other insects including the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (the host used in this investigation), does not belong in the genus Pleistophora Gurley, 1893. Pleistophora schubergi lacks the major features that are characteristic of Pleistophora typicalis, the type species of this genus. A comparison of ultrastructural observations reported for the type species of the genus Pleistophora, P. typicalis, and our observations of P. schubergi revealed significant differences. A thick (0.5 μm) amorphous coat, derived from parasite secretions and deposited external to the parasite plasmalemma, surrounds all developmental stages in P. typicalis. Double membranes, derived from host rough endoplasmic reticulum cisternae encircle the parasite plasmalemma of all developmental stages in P. schubergi. The sporophorous vesicle encases the spores in P. typicalis, and originates from the parasite‐secreted coat that is present around meronts. In P. schubergi, the host endoplasmic reticulum cisternae form the envelope that surrounds the meronts. Moreover, the sporophorous vesicle envelope in P. typicalis persists around groups of spores, while in P. schubergi this envelope breaks easily to release the spores in the host cytoplasm. By comparing the characteristics of the microsporidium found in the spruce budworm with those of the recently created polysporous genera that sporulate within a vesicle, we found that P. schubergi does belong in the new genus Endoreticulatus Brooks et al. 1988, and consequently rename it Endoreticulatus schubergi (Zwölfer, 1927) n. comb.

The African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, is generally considered to be one of the most important tropical catfish species for aquaculture purposes. Parasitological investigation was performed in two hundred naturally collected fish samples during the period of February to December 2014. The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites infecting C. gariepinus was investigated. A total of 249 helminth parasites belonging to four genera were recovered from 130 (65%) examined fish samples. They were digenea Orientocreadium batrachoides, cestode Polyonchobothrium clariae, and nematode Procamallanus laevionchus and Camallanus polypteri. Majority of the recorded parasites were found in the intestine. Female fish samples had higher prevalence rate 72 (90%) than males 58 (48.33%), and there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in infestation rate between the two sexes. The relationship of host size (weight/length) and parasite infection showed that there was no significant difference in the parasitic infection among three classes, although fish of larger sizes had more infections. In addition, this study determines the effect of fish age on the prevalence and intensity of gastrointestinal parasites.

This study presents the ultrastructural characteristics of sporogenesis in the genus Myxobolus which infects four economically important Egyptian fishes: Oreochromis niloticus niloticus, Barbus bynni, Labeo niloticus and Hydrocynus forskalii, specimens of which were collected at Giza city. Although the cysts were observed in different organs, the pattern of sporogenesis was the same. Moreover, the sporogenesis found in the present study followed the usual pattern valid for most of the myxosporean genera studied.

No abstract