w 
THE MYXOSPORIDIA, OR PSOROSPERMS OF FISHES. BIS 
polar capsules, by taking account of the presence or absence of a vacuole in the 
plasma, of their number in the [pan]sporoblasts, one can, I believe, succeed in 
obtaining elements sufficient for an attempt of this kind. 
And further: 
I do not pretend to give a final classification of these organisms; I have wished 
only to furnish a means, a provisional means, for assigning to the species that may 
be discovered, a place in accord with their affinities; and above all I have wished, 
if not to terminate, at least to diminish the confusion which results from the arbi- 
trary and vague manner in which all species have been designated; a confusion 
which I have only too often had occasion to recognize since I have studied these 
parasites, and which I believe adds a serious obstacle to the progress of our knowl- 
edge in their direction. 
Upon the above extracts no criticism is needed. As far as they go 
they express exactly the conclusions at which I had independently 
arrived. 
In any ease, there can be no question as to the propriety of drawing 
a trenchant line between the “Glugeidians” of Thélohan, and the 
remaining Myxosporidia, This primary division (foreshadowed as early 
as 189) by Thélohan)! can not, however, rest upon so comparatively 
unimportant a character as the outline of the spore. I have regarded 
it as of ordinal value, defining the two orders thus: 
I. Cryptocystes. Myxosporidia in which the pansporoblast produces 
many (at the fewest 8) spores; the last minute, without distinct sym- 
metry, with a single capsule; type (and only) family, Glugeide. 
Etymology: zpuzzdc, concealed; zdazts, capsule. 
Il. Phenocystes. Myxosporidia in which the pansporoblast produces 
few (at the most 2) spores;? the last relatively large, with distinct 
symmetry and 2 or more capsules;* type family, Myxobolida. 
Etymology: gavw, lL appear; xotrs, capsule. 
Thélohan subdivides the Phenocystes* thus: 
vacuole: iS §2 capsules. Il. Myzxidians. 
No vacuole; 2 or 4 capsules....-. 94 capsules. IIL. Ohloromyzxans. 
1 iodinophile vacuole; lor 2 ee LV. Mudobolans 
sules. oot cecseee- . My ‘ 
While the structure of the sporoplasm is of the utmost importance 
and the presence or absence, and the micro-chemical reactions of the 
vacuole are undoubtedly its most important taxonomic features, to obtain 
* | He says (Annal. de Microgr. u, p. 205): 
“Tt is neccessary to distinguish in the Myxosporidia two types of spores; the one of 
small size, always ovoid, and deprived of polar capsules; these Gluge discovered in 
the stickleback. The others, with which the authors. have principally occupied 
themselves, are distinguished by their more considerable size, the different forms 
which they present, and by the presence of capsules.” 
2 Three asserted in one species by Leydig (Miiller’s Archiv., 1851, p. 229). 
3 Except Myxobolus unicapsulatus and M. piriformis. This qualification is omitted 
by Braun (Centralbl. f. Bakt. u. Parasitenkde, 1884, Xvi, p. 86), 
*For the classification of the Cryptocystes, see p. 190. 
#6 92——3 
