Variation in the development of two isolates of Cryptocaryon irritans

Two isolates of Cryptocaryon irritans obtained from Acanthopagrus australis from Moreton Bay (isolate C1) and Gymnocranius audleyi from Heron Island (isolate C2) were passaged on Lates calcarifer and Macquaria novemaculeata at 20 and 25 C under identical laboratory conditions. There were significant differences between isolates in the diameter of trophonts and tomonts, the incubation period of tomonts, and the length of theronts. Trophonts of C1 were significantly larger on L. calcarifer than on M. novemaculeata and showed marked size variation with temperature, whereas trophonts of C2 developed equally well on both species and showed little size variation with temperature. Tomonts of C1 were significantly larger than those of C2 when grown on L. calcarifer, whereas on M. novemaculeata tomonts from C1 were significantly smaller than C2 tomonts. The incubation period of tomonts from C1 was significantly shorter than that for tomonts of C2, and theronts of C1 were significantly larger than theronts of C2 under all host/temperature conditions. The differences in the development of these isolates are of biological and epidemiological importance. This indicates that distinct intraspecific variants of C. irritans occur along the coast of southeast Queensland.