2GG KFJ'ORT OF TITK COMMIS-IONl^R OF FISH AND l-ISIIERIES. 



88. Chloiomyxum (Sphcerospora) elegans rheloliiiu, 1892. PI. 40, lig. 1. 



(Myxospoiuliaii spores of Gasterosfenx aculealu:: -.waI G. ixnifjitins (i)nr><),Th^\o- 



' 11:111, 1890, Ainial. de Micvogr., 11, pp. 198, 200, 203, 209. pi. 1, fig. 1.) 

 Sph arospora elef/au^, Bull. Soc. philomat. Paris, iv, ]tp. 167, 175. 

 Chloromyxam eleyam, Gnrley, 1893, Bnll. IJ. >S. Fish Com. for 1891, xi, p. 419. 

 S2)ha'rospora elegans, Brauu, 1893, Centrcalbl. Bakt. 11. Parnslteukde, xiv, ]i. 739. 

 Chloromiixum ele(jan.i, Branu, 1894, Ceutralbl. Bakt. u. Parasiteukde, xv,p. 87. 



Stj}ioi))/)iiy. — In 1800 Tlielolian described tlie present species and M. 

 meflius as spores occurring' in the renal tubules of (i. aculoatns and 7'. 

 punfjitiKs. He remarked that the 2 entirely different forms of spore are 

 found in close association, occurrino- not (udy in tlie same kidney, but 

 side by side in the same tube of the kidney. Their relation to each other 

 could not be determined, as lie was unable to trace them back to the 

 myxosporidiuni. 



M. Thelohan writes me (1S03) that: 



lu putting au iuterrogatiou point in regard to tlie presence oi Spharo'ipora elcfjaiis 

 in tlie kidney of Lota lota, I had in mind Balbiani's tig. 41. The spores which thist 

 ligure represents are indeed a little less regularlj' spherical than those of iS^j /(«;•«- 

 spora and jirescut a more pronouncedly attenuated extremity. Not having observed 

 Mjixosporidia in the Lotas that I have been able to examine, I do not know whether 

 these fisii contain exactly the same species as G. aeuleatns. The figures of Lieberkiihn 

 (Miiller's Archiv., 1854, pi. 14, figs. 5, 6) certainly do not belong to Sphwrospora. 

 They, in fact, present 4 polar cajisulcs, and are rather near ChJoromyxum fluviatUe. 

 Still they form, 1 believe, a distin-.t species. 



A close study of these figures has led nui to doubt seriously whether 

 Balbiani's fig. 41 can be correlated with (Jhloromyxum {Hphmrospora) 

 eJegans. The whole question hinges upon the number of capsules in 

 Balbiani's spore. The close similarity between liis figure and Lieber- 

 kiihn's fig. 6, the fact tliat quadiicapsulate forms have frequently 

 been figured by the authoi's as Iticipsulate, and finally the close 

 approximation in habitat (kidney asid urinary bladder of same fish^), 

 all point toward rlie synonymy given above. 



Cyst none; myxosporidium unknown. 



Snore. — liound, nearly spherical, untailed,S to 10 ji (Thelohan, 1892; 

 9 to 12 A', t&i(7., 1890). Kidge present, terminating in a slight projection 

 at each end of tlie spore. 



Habitat. — Almost constantly present in the renal tubules of Gasteros- 

 tcus acukatus (stickleback) and those of Ptff/ofitens pungitlus (0-spined 

 stickleback) ; % also in kidney of Lota lota - (ling) ; " accidentally" pres- 

 ent in kidney of Plw.rinus phoxiTiuH L., ovary of G. aeuleatns and that of 

 P. imngitias (all .A'deTheloban; the last two in a letter to the author, 

 1893). 



Effects.— ^ee p. 248. 



iBalbiani does not give tlie seat. Tholohau cites it as the kidney (fide specimens 

 in College de France?). 



-The form habitant here I have referred to Chloromiixum mucronutiuii (see that 

 species, and the paragraph above in this one). 



