The occurrence of two species of the genus Myxobolus Bütschli, 1882 (Myxozoa: Myxosporea) for the first time in Iraq from freshwater fishes.

Abstract

   Two species of myxosporean species are recorded for the first time in Iraq in the present paper from two freshwater fishes from fish markets in Baghdad city. The first species, Myxobolus dermatoulcerans Stilwell, Stilwell, Camus, Ware, Rosser & Griffin, 2020 was recorded from the gills of the common carp Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758 and the second species, M. pharyngobranchialis Rocha, Casal, Alves, Antunes, Rodrigues & Azevedo, 2019 was recorded from the gills of the mugilid fish Planiliza abu (Heckel, 1843). These two fish species are considered  being a new host records for these two parasites. The descriptions and measurements of these parasites  and their illustrations were given.