Synopsis of Infectious Diseases and Parasites of Commercially Exploited Shellfish

Flagellates Associated with Abalone

Category | Common Name | Scientific Name | Distribution | Host Species
Impact on Host | Diagnostic Technique | Methods of Control | References | Citation

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Category

Category 4 (Negligible Regulatory Significance in Canada)

Common, generally accepted names of the organism or disease agent

Flagellates of abalone, Cryptobia infection

Scientific name or taxonomic affiliation

Cryptobia sp. and possibly Cryptobia abalonesis (nomen nudum) (see Chen et al. 2004).

Geographic distribution

Coast of the south China Sea.

Host species

Haliotis diversicolor.

Impact on the host

Detected in the blood of abalone from farmed populations in Shanwei, Guangdong Province.

Diagnostic techniques

Smears: Haemolymph from the heart smeared on glass slides, fixed in mathanol and stained with Giemsa's stain revealed spindle shaped Cryptobia sp (12.5 ± 1,88 µm long and 2.5 ± 0.85 µm wide) with: an ellipsoidal nucleus (1.81 ± 0.61 µm in length and 1.22 ± 0.33 µm in width) situated at 20% to 25% of the body length from the anterior end, a tiny spherical kinetoplast located anterior to the nucleus, a short anterior flagellum (8.85 ± 1.23 µm), and longer posterior flagellum (15.38 ± 2.46 µm).

Methods of control

Methods of prevention and control are unknown.

References

Chen, B., L. Xu, Z. Guo and H. Yang. 2004. A new species of Cryptobia sp. n. (Kinetoplastida, Bodinina, Bodonidae) found in the blood of the farmed abalone, Haliotis diversicolor Reeve. Journal of Shellfish Research 23: 1169-1171.

 

Citation Information

Bower, S.M. (2007): Synopsis of Infectious Diseases and Parasites of Commercially Exploited Shellfish: Flagellates Associated with Abalone.

URL: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/species-especes/shellfish-coquillages/diseases-maladies/pages/flagellatesab-eng.htm

Date last revised: November 2007
Comments to Susan Bower