Lymphocystis tumours in the red mullet (Mullus surmuletus L.)

Extract

A specimen of the red mullet (Mullus surmuletus L.), caught in Plymouth waters in October 1949, was found to have tumours projecting externally on the pectoral fins. They were spherical or elliptical in shape, the largest being 20 mm. long. On the suggestion of Mr G. A. Steven some of these outgrowths were cut out and given to the writer for microscopic examination.

When examined fresh they appear to consist of small, spherical, cyst-like bodies of various diameters, but there was no obvious clue as to their nature. After fixing in Bouin and sectioning, they are seen to be composed of cells of various sizes (PI. I, figs. 1–4). It can be seen that these cells lie close to one another, leaving only a little space for the embedding connective tissue which is characterized by the abundance of its own small cells. The blood vessels met with in this tissue contain fish erythrocytes. The whole is covered by stratified squamous epithelium (PI. I, fig. 2).