The demise of Leptotheca Thélohan, 1895 (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Ceratomyxidae) and assignment of its species to Ceratomyxa Thélohan, 1892 (Myxosporea: Ceratomyxidae), Ellipsomyxa Køie, 2003 (Myxosporea: Ceratomyxidae), Myxobolus Bütschli, 1882 and Sphaerospora Thélohan, 1892 (Myxosporea: Sphaerosporidae). 2010

Nicole Gunter, and Robert Adlard
Biodiversity Program, Queensland Museum, P.O. Box 3300, South Brisbane, QLD, 4101, Australia.

A revision of Leptotheca Thélohan, 1895 is presented. The boundaries that separate Leptotheca from Ceratomyxa Thélohan, 1892 and Sphaerospora Thélohan, 1892 are vague and have been highlighted as an area of concern within myxosporean classification. A survey of the literature revealed 63 species that are currently assigned to Leptotheca and a further 11 species that have been relegated as synonyms in Ceratomyxa, Sphaerospora or Myxobolus Bütschli, 1882. The placement of some species in the genus is unclear and demonstrates the need for a revision. The type-species of Leptotheca (L. agilis Thélohan 1892) has many Ceratomyxa-like characters, such that a minor amendation of the diagnosis of Ceratomyxa will then accept the type-species of Leptotheca, rendering the latter genus its synonym. We propose the suppression of Leptotheca, with all species currently assigned to that genus reassigned to Ceratomyxa, Ellipsomyxa Køie, 2003, Myxobolus or Sphaerospora on the basis of appropriate morphological and biological traits. The diagnoses of Ceratomyxa and Ellipsomyxa are amended appropriately. Molecular analysis may change the placement of some species in the future; however, the aim of this review was to eliminate the ambiguity of assignment of species in the genera Leptotheca, Ceratomyxa and Sphaerospora by suppressing Leptotheca.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008853 Microscopy The use of instrumentation and techniques for visualizing material and details that cannot be seen by the unaided eye. It is usually done by enlarging images, transmitted by light or electron beams, with optical or magnetic lenses that magnify the entire image field. With scanning microscopy, images are generated by collecting output from the specimen in a point-by-point fashion, on a magnified scale, as it is scanned by a narrow beam of light or electrons, a laser, a conductive probe, or a topographical probe. Compound Microscopy,Hand-Held Microscopy,Light Microscopy,Optical Microscopy,Simple Microscopy,Hand Held Microscopy,Microscopy, Compound,Microscopy, Hand-Held,Microscopy, Light,Microscopy, Optical,Microscopy, Simple
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D055764 Myxozoa Single-celled, aquatic endoparasitic worms that are currently considered belonging to the phylum CNIDARIA. They have a complex life cycle and parasitize a wide range of hosts including FISHES; ANNELIDA; and BRYOZOA. Malacosporea,Myxosporea,Malacosporeas,Myxosporeas,Myxozoas

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