[Microsporidians of the genus Myxidium in rattail fish from the North Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean].

In contrast to macrurids from the Pacific, for which 5 species of myxosporidia of the genus Myxidium are known, only one species, M. coryphaenoidium, is recorded for this group of fishes from northern Atlantic. In 9 of 13 species of macrurids there were found M. melanostigmum, M. melanocetum, M. noblei sp. n., Myxidium sp. M. coryphaenoidium, the diagnosis of which is rather wider and includes the parameters of other species, was not found. The spores found have a large size, rough polar filament, flattened ends of spores and unequal polar capsules. This favours apparently the sinking of spores to a considerable depth and so is an adaptation for parasitism in deepwater fishes.