Two species of <i>Kudoa</i> (Myxosporea: Multivalvulida) parasitic in the flesh of <i>Merluccius productus</i> (Ayres, 1855) (Pisces: Teleostei) in the Canadian Pacific

Abstract

Two samples of hake, Merluccius productus (Ayres, 1855), one taken SW off Vancouver Island, the other in the Strait of Georgia, were examined for muscle parasites. The offshore hake is infected with two species of Kudoa Meglitsch, 1947 (Myxosporea): K. thyrsitis (Gilchrist, 1924) and K. paniformis sp.nov. Only K. thyrsitis occurs in the Strait of Georgia. The new species is described and illustrated. Host–parasite relationships of both species are discussed and reasons for their differences in this respect are speculated upon.