January 29, 2026
Dr. Chris T. McAllister, NTCC Natural Sciences Department, and colleagues, Eric M. Leis, Dr. Donald G. Cloutman, and Dr. Henry W. Robison, recently published their collaborative research in the journal Diversity on a new species of myxosporean parasite from green sunfish in Arkansas. Interestingly, the new species was named Myxobolus picassoi, after the famous Spanish sculptor and painter, Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). It was so named because the parasite’s shape (see figs below) resembled some of his work that is characterized by bold use of color, shape, and form, and often depicts distorted and abstract figures. Their paper can be accessed by clicking here.
