The etiological agent of 'bumper car' disease in lobsters Homarus americanus is described as a new species of ciliate, Anophryoides haemophila (Scuticociliatida: Orchitophryidae). A. haemophila n, sp, is distinguished from other species in the genus by the curved rectangular oral polykinetid 2, a somatic kinety range of 16 to 18, and its relatively small size. The parasite is easy to maintain in vivo and in vitro for extended periods at 2 to 5°C. Apparently the ciliate can be a significant impediment to the economic viability of coldwater lobster impoundments in eastern North America. However, factors inducing epizootics of 'bumper car' disease are unknown.

We have determined the nucleotide sequence of the nuclear gene encoding small-subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid of the ciliate Anophryoides haemophila, a parasite of the American lobster Homarus americanus. The gene is 1763 bp in length, and has a guanosine-plus-cytosine content of 43.9%. Inferred phylogenetic frameworks strongly support the monophyly of the scuticociliates, and suggest that order Scuticociliatida should be elevated to at least subclass rank. Oligonucleotide probes based on A. haemophila ssurDNA can discriminate between DNAs of A. haemophila and other investigated hymenostome ciliates, and effectively prime polymerase chain reaction-based detection of A. haemophila deoxyribonucleic acid against at least a 1600-fold excess of total deoxyribonucleic acid from H. americanus. GENBANK/U51554

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