Two new species of Myxobolus (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Bivalvulida) infecting an Indian major carp in Ropar and Kanjali wetlands (Punjab).

In India, more than 104 species of Myxobolus are recorded infecting freshwater and marine fishes. During our study on the myxozoan parasites of fishes of Punjab wetlands, India, two new myxosporean species, Myxobolus ropari sp. nov. and Myxobolus kanjali sp. nov. were recorded from mucous membrane around gill lamellae and scales of Cirrhina mrigala (Ham.), respectively. Spores of the first species, M. ropari sp. nov. measure 12.58 × 4.5 μm in size, elongately pyriform, slender in shape with a pointed anterior end and a rounded posterior end. Polar capsules are two, equal, elongately pyriform, measuring 4.96 × 1.50 μm in size, placed posteriorly from the tip of the spore running parallel to each other. Spores of the second species, M. kanjali sp. nov. measure 9.5 × 7.7 μm in size, spherical in shape with rounded anterior and posterior extremities. Polar capsules are two, equal, broadly pyriform with a blunt anterior and a rounded posterior end measuring 4.8 × 1.8 μm in size. A prominent tubular structure originate from the anterior end of one of the polar capsule and extend backward beyond the margin of the spore body and run upwards to join the posterior end of the other polar capsule.