A roni-like virus associated with mortalities of the freshwater crab, Eriocheir sinensis Milne Edwards, cultured in China, exhibiting ‘sighs disease’ and black gill syndrome.

The article discusses the histological investigations, viral ultrastructure and some genomic features of the freshwater Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis Milne Edwards. Several reports of crab viral diseases during the 1970s and early 1980s are cited. The black gill syndrome (BGS) is cited as among the various diseases that appeared and severely affected crab production. Diseased Eriocheir sinensis exhibiting typical BGS collected from a farm in Hubei Province, China is examined.