myxosporidian, any parasite of the phylum Myxosporidia, also called Myxospora, traditionally placed in the kingdom Protista. The Myxosporidia are characterized by complex spores having at least one infective amoeboid sporoplasm and one or more polar capsules containing coiled, extrusible filaments. Although they are primarily parasites of fish, myxosporidians also attack amphibians and reptiles. Infection may be fatal; common infective sites are the hollow organs (gallbladder, urinary bladder), skin, muscles, and gills. After the spores are ingested by an animal, the spore wall breaks down, releasing the sporoplasm, which migrates to an organ or tissue to feed and develop and ultimately to produce new spores. Representatives are Unicapsula muscularis, the cause of wormy disease in halibut; Myxobolus pfeifferi, the cause of boil disease in barbels; and Myxosoma cerebralis, the cause of twist disease in salmonid fishes.