MULTIVALVULID MYXOZOANS FROM EASTERN AUSTRALIA: THREE NEW SPECIES OF KUDOA FROM SCOMBRID AND LABRID FISHES OF THE GREAT BARRIER REEF, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

Three new species of Kudoa, each having 6 polar capsules, are described from the somatic muscle of fishes collected on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. Kudoa grammatorcyni n. sp. was observed in the shark mackerel Grammatorcynus bicarinatus. Spores are stellate in apical view, width (all measurements in μm) 8.62 (8.03–8.95); thickness 8.14 (7.63– 8.68); suture width 7.7 (7.24–8.16); length 6.54 (6.32–6.71); polar capsule length 3.68 (3.55–3.82); polar capsule width 1.72 (1.65–1.84). Kudoa scomberomori n. sp. is described from the Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus commerson. Spores are stellate in apical view, width 7.56 (6.84–8.16); thickness 6.79 (6.18–7.63); suture width 5.92 (5.26–6.32); length 5.43 (5.00–6.18); polar capsule length 3.24 (3.03–3.55); polar capsule width 1.37 (1.25–1.51). Kudoa thalassomi n. sp. is described from the moon wrasse Thalassoma lunare. Spores are stellate in apical view, width 10.66 (9.47–11.84); thickness 9.37 (8.55–10.79); suture width 7.98 (6.84–8.82); length 6.65 (6.18–7.11); polar capsule length 4.92 (4.74–5.00); polar capsule width 2.12 (2.04–2.24). All 3 species differ in spore morphology from the 1 previously described myxozoan with 6 polar capsules, Hexacapsula neothunni from yellowfin tuna Neothunnus macropterus, which has since been reassigned to Kudoa.