-THE MYXOSPORIDTA, OR PSOROSPERMS OF FISHES, AND 

 THE EPIDEMICS PRODUCED BY THEM. 



By K. R. Gurley, M. D,, 

 Assistant, U. S. Fish Commission. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS, 



Introduction 



General description of tlie Myxosporidla... 



I. Nomenclature and definition 



II. Morphology 



General description of structure. . 



Detailed description of Individ 



ual structures 



III. Zoolojiical position 



IV. Distribution 



"V. Classification 



VI. Pathology 



VII. Microscopic technique 



VIII. Definitions 



IX. Bibliography. 

 I of genera 



Descriptions of genera and species 



Tabular key to species 



Non-myxosporidian species 



Species more or less probably myxo- 



sporidian 



True Myxosporidia 



Page. 

 65 

 71 

 71 

 73 

 73 



75 

 93 

 100 

 112 

 117 

 119 

 120 

 123 

 135 

 138 



Page. 

 Description of genera and species— Cont'd. 



Ordo Cryptocy stes 190 



Family Glugeidse 190 



Genus Glugea 101 



Genus Pleistophora 19-1 



Genus Thelohania 195 



Ordo Phasnocystes 205 



F amily MyxobolidiE 20(> 



Geuus Jttyxobolus 206 



Family ChloroTnyxidse 258 



Genus Chloroniyxum 259 



Subgenus Spl'iaerospora 205 



Genus Ceratoniyxa. 



Family Cystddisc'idiD . 



Geiius ('ysti)ilisi-us.. 



Genus Siili;rnr,iivxa. 

 Family M vxidii.hp. . . . 



Genus Myxiilium ... 



74 

 278 

 279 



282 



Explanation of plates 291 



INTRODUCTION. 



Tip to the present time very little attention has been paid to the 

 diseases of fishes, and to their parasites from the standpoint of the 

 effect produced by them upon the host. Yet there can be no doubt that 

 a knowledge of such diseases would be of great practical value. Any 

 one who considers the proportions that fish epidemics may attain will 

 hardly be inclined to question the utility of searching investigation in 

 this direction. Thus, to take a single instance, in the epidemic of 1884 

 in Lake Meudota, Prof. Forbes^ states that: 



It was estimated that fully 300 tous had died up to that time. On August 7 the 

 Madison Transcript reported that 200 tons had been hauled away hy the city 

 authorities during tlie four weeks preceding and that the fishes were still dying. 



Epidemics of similar extent have been reported in Europe. 



The important results in the way of ]>revention of epidemics among 

 domesticated animals and cultivated plants obtained as the result of 

 scientific investigation aftbrd some ground for the hope that similar 



Bull. U. S, Fish Com. for 1888 (1890), viil, p. 482. 



P C 92- 



