Phytomyxid infection in the non-native seagrass Halophila stipulacea in St Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands

Phytomyxids are a monophyletic group of biotrophs/parasites variety organisms including seagrasses with wide distribution range that includes the Caribbean. The seagrass Halophila stipulacea, native to Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, is known host for phytomyxids in Mediterranean. However, date phytomyxid infection has not been reported H. stipulacea Infection characterized by swelling leaf petioles due gall formation, coloration these galls varies depending on stage maturity. fragments an apparent as well uninfected were collected St Eustatius, north-eastern Caribbean, comparative biometric analysis. Measurements length, width, internode root length taken. Infected significantly smaller than across all biometrics measured, exhibited similar colorations previously described Based our observations, St. Eustatius likely caused parasite first record this species