MINCHINIA-TEREDINIS N-SP (BALANOSPORIDA, HAPLOSPORIDIIDAE), A PARASITE OF TEREDINID SHIPWORMS

ABSTRACT. A new species of ascetosporan parasitizing tissues of woodboring mollusks of the genus Teredo, including T. navalis Linnaeus, T. furcifera von Martens, and T. bartschi Clapp, is described from light and transmission electron microscopical observations. The new species is assigned the name Minchinia teredinis sp. n. (Phylum Ascetospora, Class Stellatosporea, Order Balanosporida, Family Haplosporidiidae). Plasmodia, sporonts, sporocysts, and mature spores are found in all host tissues, but primarily in the gill. Spores are obovate, operculate, and characterized by four projections from the epispore membrane. The species is found from Long Island Sound to Virginia on the east coast of the United States. The parasite causes extensive damage to host tissues and is correlated with reductions in host populations. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved