Mycolicibacterium sp. (ex Dasyatis americana) Genome sequencing and assembly

Captive, female, adult southern stingrays (Dasyatis americana) are prone to reproductive tract disease, including uterine and ovarian cysts, pyometra, oophoritis, etc. Substantial data have been collected in this regard and publications are forthcoming (Dr. Natalie Mylniczenko et al., pers com, 2016, Disney Research, USA). This M. fortuitum complex isolate was acquired from uterine fluid collected from a southern stingray at New England Aquarium, Boston, MA, 2016. The animal was affected by large uterine cysts. Medical and surgical management was not successful. Despite isolation of this organism from uterine fluid, histopathologic evaluation of samples obtained at necropsy failed to demonstrate acid-fast organisms within the tissues. The relevance of this isolate to development of disease in this animal is unclear.