Sphaeromyxa sevastopoli
Common Name:
A myxosporean parasite
Synonyms and Other Names:
Identification:
Sphaeromyxa sevastopoli spores are long tubes that are thicker in the middle and tapered at either end, containing ejectable polar filaments. Spores generally have a granular appearance and typical specimens exhibit long striations from one extreme to the other, while atypical ones may not. Description based on detailed drawings by Yurakhno (1993).
Size:
spores are 17-17.5 µm in length (Yurakhno 1993).
Native Range:
Endemic to the Black Sea and Sea of Azov drainages (Pronin et al. 1997; Rolbiecki 2006).
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This map only depicts Great Lakes introductions.
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Great Lakes Nonindigenous Occurrences:
Discovered in the Great Lakes in non-native gobies collected from the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair in 1994 (Pronin et al. 1997) and from the St. Louis River near Lake Superior in 1995 (Bronte et al. 2003).
Table 1. Great Lakes region nonindigenous occurrences, the earliest and latest observations in each state/province, and the tally and names of HUCs with observations†. Names and dates are hyperlinked to their relevant specimen records. The list of references for all nonindigenous occurrences of Sphaeromyxa sevastopoli are found here.
Table last updated 5/2/2024
† Populations may not be currently present.
Ecology:
In general, Myxosporea live as parasites in poikilothermic vertebrates, often fish (Post 1983). In the Great Lakes basin, S. sevastopoli occurs in the gallbladders of host fishes. It was found in the Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) in Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River, and the Tubenose Goby (Proterorhinus marmoratus) in Lake St. Clair (Pronin et al. 1997). S. sevastopoli naturally occurs in brackish waters in the Black Sea region in gobiid fishes, including the Round Goby and the Big-scale Sand Smelt (Atherina boyeri) (Yurakhno 1993, 1997; Pronin et al. 1997).
Means of Introduction:
Likely introduced with its host fishes in ship ballast water (Pronin et al. 1997).
Status:
Established.
Great Lakes Impacts:
Summary of species impacts derived from literature review. Click on an icon to find out more...
There is little or no evidence to support that Sphaeromyxa sevastopoli has significant environmental impacts in the Great Lakes.
Sphaeromyxa sevastopoli is not known to parasitize species native to the Great Lakes basin, although myxosporeans in general incorporate both a fish and an annelid host (Wolf and Markiw 1984). It was initially isolated in Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) from Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River at 17% and 25% prevalence, respectively, and in Tubenose Goby from Lake St. Clair (Proterorhinus marmoratus) at 5% prevalence (Pronin et al. 1997). In each case, few S. sevastopoli individuals were found within each fish host (Pronin et al. 1997). Examination of Round Goby collected from the St. Lawrence River in 2007 and 2009 and from Lake St. Clair in 2009 has not revealed the persistence of this species (Gendron et al. 2012). Environmental impacts of S. sevastopoli have not been realized.
There is little or no evidence to support that Sphaeromyxa sevastopoli has significant socio-economic impacts in the Great Lakes.
There is little or no evidence to support that Sphaeromyxa sevastopoli has significant beneficial effects in the Great Lakes.
While a parasite of introduced gobies in the Great Lakes, it is unlikely that S. sevastopoli can regulate their populations (Pronin et al. 1997).
Management:
Regulations (pertaining to the Great Lakes)
There are no known regulations for this species.
Note: Check federal, state/provincial, and local regulations for the most up-to-date information.
Control
Biological
There are no known biological control methods for this species.
Physical
There are no known physical control methods for this species.
Chemical
There are no known chemical control methods for this species.
Note: Check state/provincial and local regulations for the most up-to-date information regarding permits for control methods. Follow all label instructions.
References
(click for full reference list)
Author:
Kipp, R.M., A.K.Bogdanoff, A. Fusaro and R. Sturtevant.
Contributing Agencies:
Revision Date:
9/13/2019
Citation for this information:
Kipp, R.M., A.K.Bogdanoff, A. Fusaro and R. Sturtevant., 2024, Sphaeromyxa sevastopoli: U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL, and NOAA Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System, Ann Arbor, MI, https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/greatLakes/FactSheet.aspx?Species_ID=2724&Potential=N&Type=0&HUCNumber=DGreatLakes, Revision Date: 9/13/2019, Access Date: 5/2/2024
This information is preliminary or provisional and is subject to revision. It is being provided to meet the need for timely best science. The information has not received final approval by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and is provided on the condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S. Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from the authorized or unauthorized use of the information.