# Cryptobia

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Genus of protists

Cryptobia Cryptobia helicis Scientific classification Domain: Eukaryota Clade: Discoba Phylum: Euglenozoa Class: Kinetoplastea Order: Parabodonida Family: Cryptobiidae Genus: Cryptobia Species Many, see text

***Cryptobia*** is a [genus](/source/Genus) of [kinetoplastids](/source/Kinetoplastida). Several species are known for being [fish](/source/Fish) [pathogens](/source/Pathogen). They can be found in other animals, as well. The name *Trypanoplasma* is occasionally used for some of these.[1]

## Biology

There are 52 species of *Cryptobia* known from fish. 40 of these live in the blood, 7 in the gut, and 5 on the body surface.[1]

Examples include:

- *[Cryptobia branchialis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_branchialis&action=edit&redlink=1)*, an [ectoparasite](/source/Ectoparasite) that lives on the skin or [gills](/source/Gill). It can deform the skin and cause [anorexia](/source/Anorexia_(symptom)) and death.

- *[Cryptobia iubilans](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_iubilans&action=edit&redlink=1)*, an [endoparasite](/source/Endoparasite) that lives in the intestines and causes [granulomatous inflammation](/source/Granulomatous_inflammation) of the abdominal organs, resulting in weight loss and death.

- *[Cryptobia salmositica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_salmositica&action=edit&redlink=1)*, *[C. borreli](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_borreli&action=edit&redlink=1)*, and *[C. bullocki](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_bullocki&action=edit&redlink=1)*, blood parasites that lead to [anaemia](/source/Anaemia) and lesions in the [haematopoietic](/source/Haematopoiesis) tissues.

Some *Cryptobia* parasitize other animal taxa. Examples include:

- *[Cryptobia innominata](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_innominata&action=edit&redlink=1)*, a parasite of the [snail](/source/Land_snail) *[Triodopsis tridentata](/source/Triodopsis_tridentata)*.[2]

Being kinetoplastids, the mitochondria of *Cryptobia* contain DNA minicircles that are involved in gene editing of their mitochondrial RNA. However, unlike [trypanosomes](/source/Trypanosomes), their minicircles are not linked in a [kinetoplast](/source/Kinetoplast) network. The minicircles of *C. helicis* is in the form of "pan-kinetoplast DNA" and are distributed throughout the mitochondrion, and are [supercoiled](/source/Supercoil) unlike most kinetoplast DNA. The fish parasite *Trypanoplasma borreli* has a large kinetoplast DNA structure that contains several minicircle sequences repeating in a single large chromosome.[3]

## Diagnosis and treatment

In fish, the disease is most important in [salmonids](/source/Salmonid). Marine and freshwater fish can be infected. These protozoans can be found on most continents.

Bloodfeeding [leeches](/source/Leech) are implicated in the transmission of the bloodborne species.

The protozoans can be identified in skin and gill [biopsies](/source/Biopsy) and blood samples. For some of the protozoans, [antibodies](/source/Antibody) can be detected in the fish using [ELISA](/source/ELISA) and [fluorescent antibody testing](/source/Immunofluorescence).

Chemical treatment with [isometamidium chloride](/source/Isometamidium_chloride) has been effective. There is a [vaccine](/source/Vaccine) against *C. salmositica* which lasts up to 2 years.

## Taxonomy

Species include:[4]

- *[Cryptobia bialata](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_bialata&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Cryptobia borreli](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_borreli&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Cryptobia branchialis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_branchialis&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Cryptobia bullocki](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_bullocki&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Cryptobia carinariae](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_carinariae&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Cryptobia geccorum](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_geccorum&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Cryptobia helicis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_helicis&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Cryptobia innominata](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_innominata&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Cryptobia iubilans](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_iubilans&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Cryptobia salmositica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cryptobia_salmositica&action=edit&redlink=1)*

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-woo_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-woo_1-1) Woo, P. T. K. (2003). [*Cryptobia* (*Trypanoplasma*) *salmositica* and salmonid cryptobiosis.](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2761.2003.00500.x/abstract) *Journal of Fish Diseases* 26(11-12) 627–46.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-koz_2-0)** Kozloff, E. N. (2004). [Redescription of *Cryptobia helicis* Leidy, 1846 (Kinetoplasta: Bodonea: Cryptobiidae), disposition of flagellates mistakenly assigned to this species, and description of a new species from a North American pulmonate snail.](http://www1.nencki.gov.pl/pdf/ap/ap725.pdf) *Acta Protozoologica* 43 123-32.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-k477_3-0)** Lukeš, Julius; Lys Guilbride, D.; Votýpka, Jan; Zíková, Alena; Benne, Rob; Englund, Paul T. (2002). ["Kinetoplast DNA Network: Evolution of an Improbable Structure"](https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/EC.1.4.495-502.2002). *Eukaryotic Cell*. **1** (4): 495–502. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1128/EC.1.4.495-502.2002](https://doi.org/10.1128%2FEC.1.4.495-502.2002). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1535-9778](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1535-9778). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [117999](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC117999). Retrieved 2026-01-07.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ab_4-0)** Guiry, M. D. & G. M. Guiry. 2013. [*Cryptobia*.](http://www.algaebase.org/search/genus/detail/?genus_id=45353) AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. 11 June 2013.

v t e Discoba classification Domain Archaea Bacteria Eukaryota (major groups Metamonada Discoba Diaphoretickes Hacrobia Cryptista Rhizaria Alveolata Stramenopiles Plants Amorphea Amoebozoa Opisthokonta Animalia Fungi Mesomycetozoea) Eolouka* Tsukubea Tsukubamonadidae Tsukubamonas Jakobea Ophirinina Agogonidae Agogonia Ophirinidae Ophirina Andalucina Andaluciidae Andalucia Stygiellidae Stygiella Velundella Histionina Histionidae Histiona Reclinomonas Jakobidae Jakoba Moramonadidae Moramonas Seculamonas Discicristata Euglenozoa Euglenida Petalomonadida Scytomonadidae Atraktomonas Biundula Calycimonas Dolium Dylakosoma Notosolenus Pentamonas Petalomonas Scytomonas Tropidoscyphus Sphenomonadidae Sphenomonas Ploeotiida* Entosiphonidae Entosiphon Gaulosia Chelandium Olkasia Alistosa Ploeotiidae Ploeotia Serpenomonas Decastava Keelungia Lentomonas Karavia Hemiolia Liburna Spirocuta Anisonemia Anisonemida Anisonemidae Anisonema Dinema Heteronema Natomonadida Metanemina Neometanemidae Neometanema Aphagea Astasiidae Astasia Rhabdomonas Gyropaigne Menoidium Parmidium Distigma Peranemida Peranemidae Chasmostoma Jenningsia Peranema Teloprocta Urceolus Euglenophyceae Rapazida Rapazidae Rapaza Eutreptiales Eutreptiaceae Eutreptia Eutreptiella Euglenales Euglenaceae Colacium Cryptoglena Euglena Euglenaformis Euglenaria Monomorphina Strombomonas Trachelomonas Phacaceae Discoplastis Flexiglena Lepocinclis Phacus incertae sedis Ascoglena Euglenamorpha Euglenopsis Glenoclosterium Hegneria Klebsina Euglenocapsa incertae sedis Peranemopsis Tropidoscyphus Michajlowastasia Parastasiella Dinemula Paradinemula Mononema Ovicola Naupliicola Embryocola Copromonas Symbiontida Bihospites Calkinsia Postgaardi Glycomonada Diplonemea Diplonemidae Diplonema Rhynchopus Lacrimia Sulcionema Flectonema Hemistasiidae Hemistasia Eupelagonemidae Eupelagonema Kinetoplastea Prokinetoplastina Ichthyobodonidae Ichthyobodo Perkinsela Metakinetoplastina Allobodonidae Allobodo Novijibodo Neobodonida Neobodonidae Actuariola Avlakibodo Azumiobodo Cruzella Cryptaulaxella Klosteria Neobodo Phanerobia Rhynchobodo Rhynchomonadidae Rhynchomonas Dimastigella Parabodonida Cryptobiidae Cryptobia Jarrellia Procryptobia Trypanoplasma Parabodonidae Parabodo Eubodonida Bodonidae Bodo Trypanosomatida Trypanosomatinae Trypanosoma Leishmaniinae Borovskyia Crithidia Leptomonas Lotmaria Novymonas Porcisia Zelonia Endotrypanum Leishmania Herpetomonadinae Herpetomonas Lafontella Phytomonas Strigomonadinae Angomonas Kentomonas Strigomonas Blastocrithidiinae Blastocrithidia Obscuromonas Blechomonadinae Blechomonas Paratrypanosomatinae Paratrypanosoma Jaenimonas Vickermania Sergeia Wallacemonas Cercoplasma Malacozoomonas Nematodomonas Rhynchoidomonas incertae sedis Bordnamonas Cephalothamnium Rhynchoidomonas Heterolobosea Pharyngomonada Pharyngomonadea Pharyngomonadida Pharyngomonadidae Pharyngomonas Tetramitia Orodruinidae? Orodruina Gruberella Stachyamoeba Selenaionea Selenaionida Selenaionidae Selenaion Neovahlkampfiida Neovahlkampfiidae Neovahlkampfia Eutetramitea Euplaesiobystra Fumarolamoeba Heteramoeba Parafumarolamoeba Paravahlkampfia Oramoeba Vrihiamoeba Naegleriida Aurem Marinamoeba Acrasidae Acrasis Allovahlkampfia Pocheina Naegleriidae Naegleria Willaertia Trimastigamoeba? Tulamoebidae Pleurostomum Tulamoeba Vahlkampfiidae Tetramitus Vahlkampfia Pseudovahlkampfia? Tetramastigamoeba? Percolomonadida Barbeliidae Barbelia Nonamonas Lulaidae Lula Percolomonadidae Percolomonas Pseudociliatida Stephanopogonidae Stephanopogon Creneida Creneidae Creneis Lyromonadida Psalteriomonadidae Harpagon Psalteriomonas Monopylocystis Pseudoharpagon Sawyeria Lyromonas *paraphyletic or polyphyletic groups ?uncertain position

Taxon identifiers Cryptobia Wikidata: Q1142266 Wikispecies: Cryptobia AFD: Cryptobia AlgaeBase: 45353 ButMoth: 7495.0 CoL: 3WGG EoL: 92085 GBIF: 6320614 IRMNG: 1311348 WoRMS: 562591

Authority control databases: National Israel

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cryptobia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptobia) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptobia?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.