kuruma shrimp, Penaeus japonicus

A filamentous form of mollicute-like bacterium was detected during a routine health survey of wild adult kuruma shrimp Penaeus japonicus. The kuruma shrimp were native to Japan and were imported to Korea. The histology showed no pathological changes. Transmission electron microscopy revealed extensive infections of hepatopancreatic epithelial cells by a pleomorphic, filamentous intracellular bacterium. The filamentous bacterium was of about 60 mn in diameter and 300 nm to more than 1 ~m in length. The morphology of hacteria were filamentous and branched with terminal blebs, or knobs, on the branches. They lacked the cell wall, and were bounded by the plasma membrane. They contained typical prokaryotic ribosomes and fibrillar DNA-like strands. No additional internai structure has been observed. They are considered to be mollicutes, based upon the morphological appearance and upon the cellular location.