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Using degenerative primers designed on the basis of known sequences of lectin genes from different sources a fragment of genomic DNA of Borrelia burgdorferi ( strain B31) that contained a lectin-like sequence was isolated, cloned and sequenced. The presence of an open reading frame of 268 amino acids (position 1501-2304 bp) and the computer analysis of the predicted amino acid sequence showed 37% of identity and 75% of homology over region of 25 amino acids with the legume lectin proteins, including erythroagglutinating phytohemagglutinin (PHA-E) and leucoagglutinating phytohemagglutinin (PHA-L). The further analysis of the predicted amino acid sequence showed the presence of another two domains (positions 198-211 and 215-226 aa) consisting of the characteristic conserved sequence motifs for legume lectin proteins. Hemagglutinating activity was detected in lysate of B. burgdorferi (strain B31) spirochete and the affinity to fetuin was determined in a hemagglutination inhibition test. Hemagglutinating activity was also found in a crude lysate of the recombinant clones carrying the fragment of B. burgdorferi genomic DNA. The inhibition of agglutinating activity by fetuin, D-galactosamine and D-mannosamine was determined using the standard procedure of hemagglutination inhibition test with native rabbit red blood cells (RBC).

Two species of the genus Baruscapillaria Moravec, 1982 are known to parasitise the small intestine of the common cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo (L.): Baruscapillaria carbonis (Dubinin et Dubinina, 1940) and B. rudolphii Moravec, Scholz et Našincová, 1994. A redescription of the former species, based on specimens collected from common cormorants shot in South Bohemia, Czech Republic, is provided. Morphological features distinguishing B. carbonis and B. rudolphii are specified. B. carbonis is characterised mainly by the well-developed membranous bursa in the male, composed of five distinct lobes (four lateral and one spur-shaped dorsal); the length of the spicule is 1.9-2.3 mm; gravid females are provided with a long vulvar appendage. Males of B. rudolphii have reduced, bi-lobed membranous bursa and the spicule is 0.9-1.3 mm long; the vulvar appendage is absent in gravid females. This is the first record of B. carbonis in the Czech Republic.

Mabuya vitatta (Olivier) (Scincidae) and Agama stellio (L.) (Agamidae) were infected with Hemolivia mariae Smallridge et Paperna, 1997 by ingestion of tick viscera from Amblyomma limbatum Neumann, fed as nymphs on naturally infected Australian sleepy lizards, Tiliqua rugosa Gray. The unnatural infection apparently interfered with the developmental schedule of the parasites. Transmission electron microscopic images of merogonic stages were obtained, as well as images of early developing gametocytes. Tissue and intraerythrocytic meronts were bound by a hardened wall. Intraerythrocytic gametocytes were lodged in a parasitophorous vacuole, which was filled with granular material, and were bound by a two-membrane wall. Small and large osmiophilic bodies were located in a sub-pellicular position. With differentiation, the wall membranes tightened with the parasitophorous vacuole wall, and the osmiophilic bodies disappeared. The outer parasite membrane consolidated into a thick encasing with distinct sutures. Late infection in A. stellio comprised gametocytes only.

Phylogenetic relationships within the suborder Trypanosomatina were inferred from the kinetoplast DNA minicircle conserved region sequences. Trees built using distance-matrix (Neighbor-Joining) and maximum parsimony methods showed that the minicircle conserved regions (CRs) provide a sensitive and specific molecular marker suitable for phylogenetic analyses of subspecies and strains of trypanosomatid flagellates, as testified by the subdivision of the genus Leishmania into the subgenera Leishmania, Viannia and Sauroleishmania. However, since Phytomonas and monogenetic parasites of insects represent the earliest diverging groups, the CRs do not seem to be useful for inference of relationships among major lineages of the order Kinetoplastida.

The status and composition of the Diplosentidae Tubangui et Masiluñgan, 1937 are reviewed. The type species of the type genus, Diplosentis amphacanthi Tubangui et Masiluñgan, 1937 from Siganus canaliculatus (Park, 1797) in the Philippines, is concluded to have been described inaccurately in supposedly possessing only two cement glands and lemnisci enclosed in a membranous sac. The species is almost certainly very close to species of Neorhadinorhynchus Yamaguti, 1939 and Sclerocollum Schmidt et Paperna, 1978 which have also been reported from siganids from the tropical Indo-Pacific. Species of these genera have four cement glands and unexceptional lemnisci. As a result, Diplosentis Tubangui et Masiluñgan, 1937 is best considered to have affinities with the Cavisomidae Meyer, 1932. The Cavisomidae has priority over the Diplosentidae; thus the Diplosentidae becomes a synonym of the Cavisomidae. Neorhadinorhynchus and Sclerocollum are considered synonyms of Diplosentis. The affinities of the other species and genera formerly included in the Diplosentidae (other species of Diplosentis, Allorhadinorhynchus Yamaguti, 1959, Amapacanthus Salgado-Maldonado et Santos, 2000, Pararhadinorhynchus Johnston et Edmonds, 1947, Golvanorhynchus Noronha, de Fábio et Pinto, 1978 and Slendrorhynchus Amin et Sey, 1996) are discussed. It is concluded that all but Pararhadinorhynchus, two species of Diplosentis and Amapacanthus can be accommodated elsewhere satisfactorily. A new family, Transvenidae, is proposed for a small group of acanthocephalans that genuinely possess only two cement glands. Transvena annulospinosa gen. n., sp. n. is described from the labrids Anampses neoguinaicus Bleeker, 1878 (type host), A. geographicus Valenciennes, 1840, A. caeruleopunctatus Rüppell, 1829, Hemigymnus fasciatus (Bloch, 1792), and H. melapterus (Bloch, 1791) from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. Transvena gen. n. is distinguished from all other acanthocephalan genera by having a combination of a single ring of small spines on its trunk near or at the junction between the neck and trunk, two cement glands, a double-walled proboscis receptacle and hooks which decrease in length from the apex to the base of the proboscis. A second new genus within the Transvenidae, Trajectura, is proposed for T. perinsolens sp. n. from Anampses neoguinaicus, also from the Great Barrier Reef. Trajectura gen. n. is distinguished by the possession of only two cement glands and an anterior conical projection (function unknown) on the females. Diplosentis ikedai Machida, 1992 shares these characters and is recombined as Trajectura ikedai comb. n. Pararhadinorhynchus is transferred to the Transvenidae and Diplosentis manteri Gupta et Fatma, 1979 is recombined as Pararhadinorhynchus manteri comb. n.

Subepidermal glands of the body of Troglocaridicola sp. (from the cavernicolous shrimp Troglocaris sp. in eastern Italy) were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The reservoir and duct of the glands are lined with longitudinal microtubules. Membrane-bound granules inside the gland show a distinctive pattern: they contain fibres, 18 nm in diameter, regularly arranged in bundles with a 5 nm space between fibres. From a survey of the available literature on glands of Platyhelminthes, it is concluded that this structure is known only in this species. Glands with regularly arranged 18 nm fibres, if characteristic for the Scutariellidae, could be considered an autapomorphy of this family, distinguishing it from other members of the Temnocephalida.

A redescription of the adult male and praniza of Gnathia africana Barnard, 1914 is provided from material collected at three localities along the South African coast and from syntypes and other material deposited by the original author. This redescription is based on light and scanning electron microscopy.

During a survey of the parasites of freshwater fishes from cenotes (sinkholes) of the Yucatan Peninsula the following species of monogeneans were found on cichlid, pimelodid, characid and poeciliid fishes: Sciadicleithrum mexicanum Kritsky, Vidal-Martinez et Rodriguez-Canul, 1994 from Cichlasoma urophthalmus (Günther) (type host), Cichlasoma friedrichsthali (Heckel), Cichlasoma octofasciatum (Regan), and Cichlasoma synspilum Hubbs, all new host records; Sciadicleithrum meekii Mendoza-Franco, Scholz et Vidal-Martínez, 1997 from Cichlasoma meeki (Brind); Urocleidoides chavarriai (Price, 1938) and Urocleidoides travassosi (Price, 1938) from Rhamdia guatemalensis (Günther); Urocleidoides costaricensis (Price et Bussing, 1967), Urocleidoides heteroancistrium (Price et Bussing, 1968), Urocleidoides anops Kritsky et Thatcher, 1974, Anacanthocotyle anacanthocotyle Kritsky et Fritts, 1970, and Gyrodactylus neotropicalis Kritsky et Fritts, 1970 from Astyanax fasciatus; and Gyrodactylus sp. from Gambusia yucatana Regan. Urocleidoides chavarriai, U. travassosi, U. costaricensis, U. heteroancistrium, U. anops, Anacanthocotyle anacanthocotyle and Gyrodactylus neotropicalis are reported from North America (Mexico) for the first time. These findings support the idea about the dispersion of freshwater fishes and their monogenean parasites from South America through Central America to southeastern Mexico, following the emergence of the Panamanian isthmus between 2 and 5 million years ago.

Results of a study on trypanorhynch cestodes of fishes from Indonesian coastal waters are presented. A new species, Dasyrhynchus thomasi sp. n., is described, and five species are recorded which all represent new locality records: Tentacularia coryphaenae Bosc, 1797; Nybelinia africana Dollfus, 1960; Nybelinia scoliodoni (Vijayalakshmi, Vijayalakshmi et Gangadharam, 1996); Sphyriocephalus dollfusi Bussieras et Aldrin, 1968; and Otobothrium penetrans Linton, 1907. Their known ranges of distribution are extended to the East-Indian Ocean. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy was used to clarify details of the tentacular armature and surface morphology of T. coryphaenae, D. thomasi and O. penetrans. In T. coryphaenae, hook-like microtriches along the bothridial tegument are embedded in the distal cytoplasm, sometimes showing a split base. The solid tentacular hooks are embedded into a fibrillar, highly ordered tentacular wall. D. thomasi is distinguished by its characteristically shaped bothridia and a triple chainette with winged hooks on the external surface of the tentacle. Tufts of microtriches with ciliated sensory receptors are regularly arranged on the bothridial surface of O. penetrans. They show similarities to sensory receptors reported from other trypanorhynch cestodes. Otobothrium pephrikos Dollfus, 1969 is considered a junior synonym for O. penetrans, and the variability of the scolex within trypanorhynch cestodes is emphasised.

An unnamed microcercous cercaria (Digenea: Monorchiidae), a parasite of Amiantis purpurata (Lamarck, 1818) (Bivalvia: Veneridae) and its corresponding metacercaria from the province of Buenos Aires and the Patagonian coast of the Southwest Atlantic Ocean, are described. The cercaria described in this paper differs from the three other monorchiid microcercous cercariae, i.e., Lasiotocus minutus (Manter, 1931), Lasiotocus elongatus (Manter, 1931), and Cercaria caribbea XXXVI Cable, 1956, mainly because of the extension of the excretory vesicle and the location of the ventral sucker. Cercariae artificially extracted from sporocysts encyst in a dish and form metacercariae enveloped by a gelatinous sac with two prolongations, which are used to adhere to the substratum. The monorchiid described in this paper has a life cycle similar to those of L. minutus and L. elongatus, although the adult stage of the present species is still unknown. Their larvae are similar in morphology and have venerid clams as their first hosts. The presence of a monorchiid larva is reported for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere. Its monthly prevalence rates, ranging from 0 to 25% (mean: 8.3%), are given from the Patagonian coast. The infection seems to cause castration as it was observed that during March through to May, when most gametes were produced in uninfected individuals, 81% of the infected individuals did not produce gametes.

Patrimoines naturels, Vol. 50. Publications Scientifiques du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 2001. ISSN 1281-6213, ISBN 2-85653-538-0, paperback, 463 pp. Price €40.21.

A new cystidicolid nematode, Moravecnema segonzaci gen. et sp. n. is described from the intestine of the teleost fish Pachycara thermophilum Geistdoerfer (Zoarcidae) from the hydrothermal sites Logatchev and Snake Pit-Moose of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, at depths of 3,008; 3,492, and 3,510 m. The new genus Moravecnema is characterised by a dorsoventrally elongated oral opening, rudimentary pseudolabia, and four pairs of precloacal and six pairs of postcloacal caudal papillae in the male. The species has two spicules of unequal length, about 330 and 80 µm long. Males are about 5 mm and females about 5-10 mm long. Eggs have long thin polar filaments. This is the first species of parasitic nematode described from a fish endemic to hydrothermal deep-sea vents.

Four strains of non-encysting amoebae were isolated from organs of freshwater fishes and characterized using light and electron microscope. Morphology of three clonal strains was consistent with amoebae which had already been described from water habitats. Two strains, one isolated from kidney tissue of common goldfish, Carassius auratus (Linnaeus, 1758), and the second one from brain of chub, Leuciscus cephalus Linnaeus, 1758, were identified with Vannella platypodia (Glaser, 1912) Page, 1976. Both strains were identical, except for the length of glycostyles. The strain isolated from the liver of perch, Perca fluviatilis (Linnaeus, 1758), was assigned to the genus Vexillifera Schaeffer, 1926 as Vexillifera expectata sp. n. The taxonomic position of the fourth non-encysting strain could not be safely established, although it shares some trophic cell structures with prorostelids (Protostelia, Eumycetozoea). We present its detailed description here also to demonstrate that amoeba stages of this type of organisms are capable to infect fishes.

Myxobolus porofilus sp. n. is described infecting the visceral cavity of Prochilodus lineatus (Valenciennes, 1836) cultivated in São Paulo State, Brazil. The plasmodial form of the parasite is 3-5 mm in length and appeared compressed between the wall of the visceral cavity and the pyloric caecum, reposing on this organ. The spores are small (length 5.7 ± 0.3 µm, width 4.8 ± 0.2 µm; mean ± SD) and round to elliptical in frontal view. The valve surfaces are smooth and have sutural folds. The polar capsules are ovoid, small (length 1.6 ± 0.1 µm, width 1.1 ± 0.1 µm) and equal in size. The polar filaments have three turns aligned perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the capsule. A conspicuous polar filament pore is arranged at the anterior end of the spore. The only reaction observed upon histological analysis was the presence of a capsule of connective tissue surrounding the plasmodia. This is the first report of a myxosporean parasite in the Prochilodontidae.

Comparative scanning electron microscopical studies were carried out on Chonopeltis australis Boxshall, 1976 collected from different localities in the Orange-Vaal River System in South Africa and on material of Chonopeltis minutus Fryer, 1977 and Chonopeltis australissimus Fryer, 1977 on loan from the Albany Museum, Grahamstown. This elucidates the fine structure of morphological features, which are of taxonomic importance and illustrates the significance of the copulatory structures on the legs as a taxonomic tool. It was also concluded that C. australissimus is the same as C. minutus, with C. australissimus the junior synonym.

A new species of trichosomoidid nematode, Huffmanela paronai sp. n., is established on the basis of its egg morphology and biological characters. The dark-shelled, embryonated eggs of this histozoic parasite occur in masses in the epidermis of the swordfish Xiphias gladius L. (Xiphiidae, Perciformes) from the Ligurian Sea in northern Italy. The eggs are concentrated in groups appearing as black spots in the skin of the fish host, being distributed mainly on the lower part of its body (lower jaw, gill covers, pectoral, anal and caudal fins, lower half of body). The parasite's eggs are characterised mainly by their shape and markedly small size (48-51 × 21-24 μm), an aspinose surface, relatively small polar plugs, and thick egg wall (3 μm). This is the first Huffmanela species reported from fish in Europe.

Laboratory animals (mice and guinea pigs) were infected with the isolates of Coxiella burnetii (Derrick, 1939) obtained from bovine milk (M18 and M35) and the ticks Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Dermacentor marginatus (Sulzer, 1776) (Kl₃ and Kl₆, respectively), and with the reference strain Nine Mile. Neither mortality nor lethality occurred with the mice. Antibody response in mice infected with isolates from milk was lower (1 : 16-512) than that from ticks (1 : 32-4096). Onset of seropositivity also occurred later - on the 10^th day post-infection (p.i.) for M18 and M35 in comparison with the 7^th day for Kl₃ and Kl₆. In guinea pigs, infection manifested by fever. The fever was less evident in guinea pigs infected with isolates from milk (39.5-40.1°C) than in guinea pigs infected with isolates from ticks (39.5-40.6°C). Partially engorged females of Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius, 1794) were inoculated with isolates M18 and Kl₃ . No differences in the multiplication of C. burnetii in haemocytes between these two isolates were ascertained.

Comparison of the dynamics and antigen recognition profiles of IgG3 following immunisation with larval crude extracts (LCE) and excretory-secretory (ES) products from muscle larvae of different species of Trichinella (T. spiralis, T. nativa, T. britovi, T. nelsoni and genotype T6) was made in BALB/c mice. High levels of IgG3 response were obtained in ELISA following immunisation with LCE from all species with maximum levels achieved between days 59 and 64 post-immunisation (p.i.) and maintained up to the limit of the observation (day 164). Antigen recognition profiles as measured by western-blot showed dense and numerous bands in the range 45-64 kDa that were consistent from week 5^th with variation in epitope recognition among the different species. Following immunisation with ES antigens a significant decrease in IgG3 response was observed for all species especially for T. nativa in comparison to LCE. Antigen recognition on ES antigens showed three main bands in the range of 45-60 kDa for all species excepting T. nelsoni and T. britovi where an additional band was also present. These results clearly show that IgG3 epitopes are more abundant in somatic (LCE) than in ES products of Trichinella muscle larvae and that quantitative as well as qualitative variations exist among different species.

A new trypanorhynch cestode, Grillotia borealis sp. n., is described from the spiral intestines of softnose skates of the genus Bathyraja collected from subarctic waters of the North Pacific Ocean: B. parmifera (Bean) (type host), B. aleutica (Gilbert) and B. interrupta (Gill et Townsend) from the Bering Sea and B. minispinosa Ishiyama et Ishihara and B. smirnovi (Soldatov et Pavlenko) from the Sea of Okhotsk off Japan. The new species is distinguished from other species of Grillotia by possession of the following combination of characters: four hooks per principal row, hooks 4(4') distinctly separated from hooks 3(3') of principal row, principal rows separated by 13-15 intercalary hooks in 2-3 rows, hooks 2(2') and 3(3') change in form along their respective files, hooks 1(1') do not change in form along the file, a broad band of microhooks on the external tentacular face, intermediary hooks are lacking, absence of a special basal armature, origin of the retractor muscle near middle of the bulb, average scolex ratio of 1 : 3 : 2 : 0.1, and a hermaphroditic sac. Grillotia borealis consistently favoured the most anterior regions of the spiral intestine. Seventy-one per cent of 21 attached worms occupied the most anterior chamber of the spiral valve and 52 per cent were embedded in the anterior surface of the spiral valve whorls. Factors which may limit the distribution of G. borealis within the spiral intestine of its host are discussed. Statistically significant differences occur in the mucosal morphology of B. aleutica and B. parmifera for villus length, diameter, spatial arrangement and number per unit area along the antero-posterior axis of the spiral intestine.

Spermiogenesis and the spermatozoon were studied in the digenean Mesocoelium monas Rudolphi, 1819 (from the toad Bufo sp. in Gabon). An ultrastructural study revealed that spermiogenesis follows the usual pattern found in digeneans, i.e. proximo-distal fusion of axonemes with a median cytoplasmic process followed by elongation. The spermatozoon has two fully incorporated axonemes with the 9 + ''1'' trepaxonematan pattern. Indirect immunofluorescence localization of tubulin and fluorescent labelling of the nucleus were used to obtain additional information on the structure of the spermatozoon. It was thus shown that one of the axonemes is slightly shorter than the other (190 versus 220 mu m) and that the filiform nucleus (65 mu m in length) is located at the distal extremity of the spermatozoon (220 mu m in length). Various monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, specific to alpha, beta, acetylated-alpha, or general tubulin, were used and produced similar labelling.

Two new species of Gyrodactylus (Gyrodactylidae) are described from Corydoras paleatus (Jenyns) and Corydoras ehrhardti Steindachner (Callichthyidae) of Rio Piraquara, Municipality of Piraquara, near Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil: Gyrodactylus anisopharynx sp. n. and Gyrodactylus samirae sp. n. These species are unique among the known Neotropical species of Gyrodactylus by the combination of several characters. Gyrodactylus anisopharynx is characterised by having hooks with point evenly curved, toe moderately pointed, round convex heel, straight sloping shelf, superficial bar with anterolateral projections and male copulatory organ armed with two rows of spinelets. Two variants of G. anisopharynx, of distinct pharynx size, are recognised: forma "large-pharynx" and forma "small-pharynx". Gyrodactylus samirae is characterised by having hook with straight shaft, short slightly recurved point, truncate toe, trapezoidal heel, shelf slightly concave, orthogonal to shaft; anchors with relatively short superficial root; superficial bar with extremities lightly expanded; and male copulatory organ armed with two rows of spinelets. Paragyrodactyloides superbus (Szidat, 1973) is redescribed and transferred to Gyrodactylus based on examination of type and new specimens. Features previously considered as diagnostic for the genus are misinterpretations or primitive characters for Gyrodactylus spp.

Six mite species of the family Myobiidae, Radfordia (Austromyobia) persica sp. n., Radfordia (Austromyobia) merioni Bochkov, Dubinina et Chirov, 1990, Radfordia (Radfordia) acomys Fain et Lukoschus, 1977, Radfordia (Radfordia) affinis (Poppe, 1896), Radfordia (Graphiurobia) dyromys Fain et Lukoschus, 1973, and Myobia (Myobia) murismusculi (Schrank, 1781) were found in Iran on the rodents Gerbillus cheesmani Thomas, Meriones libycus Lichtenstein, Acomys cahirinus (Desmarest), Mus musculus L., Dryomys nitedula (Pallas), and Mus musculus, respectively. R. (A.) persica is described as a new species from the female, male and tritonymph. The other five myobiid species are new to Iran.

From May 1993 to April 1995, the seasonal occurrence of metacestodes of Neogryporhynchus cheilancristrotus (Wedl, 1855) (Cyclophyllidea: Dilepididae) in its second intermediate host, the blue bream Abramis ballerus (L.) was studied monthly in the Oder River on the borders of Germany and Poland. Based on the parasite specimens found, detailed data on their morphometrics are presented. The metacestodes occurred in the blue bream intestine throughout the year (overall prevalence 27% and intensity 1-56 (mean 4.8) metacestodes per infected fish). Increased prevalences and mean intensities of infection were noted from March to June and November to December indicating that spring, late autumn and early winter are the main periods of new infections.

A new species of caligid copepod, Lepeophtheirus simplex sp. n., parasitic on bullseye puffer, Sphoeroides annulatus (Jenyns) in Sinaloa, Mexico is described. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the possession of (1) a maxillule with simple dentiform process; (2) a sternal furca with sharply pointed, curved tines; (3) a 2-segmented exopod of leg 3 with simple, slender spine on proximal segment; (4) a 3-segmented exopod of leg 4 with a long proximal, outer spine; and (5) the terminal claw of male antenna with a large, tridentate, medial protuberance.

The Systematics Association Special Volume Series 60. Taylor & Francis, London and New York, 2001, ISBN 0-7484-0903-3, hard cover, 353 pp. Price £ 75.00.

Salivary gland extracts (SGE) from unfed and 5 days fed adult female Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758); Haemaphysalis inermis (Birula, 1895) and Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius, 1794) ticks were prepared. The protein content after feeding increased by 10.6, 8.7 and 6.8 times, respectively. Extracts were equilibrated to the same protein content and submitted to SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by computer analysis of the scanned gels. Relative differences in protein profiles of extracts obtained from unfed and partially fed ticks were found in all species and some of them were similar in all three species used in the study. Results demonstrate that the increase of the protein content in salivary glands during the feeding does not occur proportionally. Some proteins are synthesised preferentially (67.1 kDa, 13.5 kDa) but other bands (in range of 15-16 kDa) present in the SGE derived from unfed ticks are less discernible in that of fed ticks.

A species not identifiable with any of the about 23 Myxobolus species recorded from the common carp so far, was detected in the gills of one- and two-summer-old specimens of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) cultured in pond farms in Hungary. The strictly tissue-specific plasmodia of the parasite were located, surrounded by hyaline cartilage cells, in the chondrous substance of the terminal parts of the gill arches and in the cartilage structure ventrally connecting the gill arches. The spores of the parasite described as Myxobolus intrachondrealis sp. n. developed in globular or ellipsoidal plasmodia measuring 300-600 µm. By their elongated ellipsoidal shape and similarly elongated polar capsules the spores were well distinguishable from the hitherto described Myxobolus species parasitic in the common carp and also from the cartilage-parasitic Myxobolus species of other fishes.

Cambridge University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-521-79104-9, hardback, 461 pp., 2 halftones, 87 drawings, 87 diagrams, 4 tables. Price £30.00 (US$ 49.95).

We studied the prevalence and distribution of Hepatozoon infections in small rodents from Finland and other areas in northern Europe. Hepatozoon infections were more common in voles (Arvicolinae) than mice (Murinae) and more prevalent in voles of the genus Clethrionomys than in voles of the genus Microtus. Transmission electron microscopical examination of Hepatozoon erhardovae Krampitz, 1964 from bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus (Schreber) showed that intracellular lung meronts were located in alveolar septa. Meronts consisted of varying numbers of merozoites packed with amylopectin vacuoles inside electron-lucent parasitophorous vacuole. The size of the meronts was approximately 19 × 14 µm. Monozoic or dizoic cysts were frequent findings in the lung alveoles; the size of cysts was approximately 10 × 6 µm. Gametocytes were found inside eosinophilic granulocytes in the capillaries of lung tissue. Ultrastructurally, micronemes, microtubules, mitochondria, nuclei and lipid droplets were visible.