Kudoa inornata sp. n. (Myxosporea: Multivalvulida) from the skeletal muscles of Cynoscion nebulosus (Teleostei: Sciaenidae)

A new myxosporean species, Kudoa inornata sp. n. (Myxosporea: Multivalvulida), is described from skeletal muscles of the spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus (Cuvier), collected in estuarine waters along the coast of South Carolina, USA. Light microscopic and ultrastructural characters rank this species to the group of Kudoa species with simple-shaped spores. The uniqueness of the SSU and LSU rDNA sequences justifies its status of a new species with sister relationship to Kudoa paniformis. The 100% prevalence in seatrout from four out of five localities sampled and pathogenicity of K. inornata recognized in this study should motivate further screening for infections in its host, which is considered a commercially important game fish with a wide distribution in the Western North Atlantic.