DOI: 10.2478/s11686-008-0056-1 © 2008 W. Stefañski Institute of Parasitology, PAS Acta Parasitologica, 2008, 53(4), 321–329; ISSN 1230-2821
Two new species of the genus Quadruspinospora Sarkar et Chakravarty, 1969 (Apicomplexa, Conoidasida) from grasshoppers (Insecta, Orthoptera) Biplob Kumar Modak1*, Saugata Basu2 and Durga Prasad Haldar3 1Department of Zoology, A.M. College, Jhalda, Purulia-723202, West Bengal; 2Department of Biology, Uttarpara Govt. High School, Uttarpara, Hooghly-712258, West
Bengal; Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani-741235, West Bengal; India
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3Protozoology
Abstract
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Descriptions of structures and life histories of two new species of septate gregarines (Apicomplexa, Conoidasida) are given. These are: Quadruspinospora cloptoni sp. nov. and Quadruspinospora caudata sp. nov. from the midguts of Oxya hyla hyla Serville and Gesonula punctiformes (Stal.) (Insecta, Orthoptera, Acrididae), respectively. Trophozoites of Q. cloptoni attain a maximum length of 944 µm and their epimerites are either a simple knob or cauliflower-like without any digitiform process; gamonts are solitary and, spherical gametocysts, 390 µm, release ovoid oocysts by a simple rupture, the latter being provided with four characteristic spines, two at each pole. Trophozoites of Q. caudata are much smaller, 578 µm in maximum length, and the epimerite in this gregarine is short and cone like. Spherical gametocysts, 365 µm, also dehisce by a simple rupture releasing ovoid oocysts having four typical spines, characteristic of the genus Quadruspinospora Sarkar et Chakravarty, 1969. The validity of Quadruspinospora as a distinct genus is discussed.
Keywords
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Introduction
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Apicomplexa, Conoidasida, Quadruspinospora, septate gregarines, Orthoptera, grasshoppers
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The present paper records the description of the structures and life cycles of two new species of septate gregarines (Apicomplexa, Conoidasida) from the midguts of two grasshoppers (Insecta, Orthoptera, Acrididae) of West Bengal, India. These are Quadruspinospora cloptoni sp. nov. and Quadruspinospora caudata sp. nov. from Oxya hyla hyla Serville and Gesonula punctiformes (Stal.), respectively. Sarkar and Chakravarty (1969) established Quadruspinospora as a new genus from an orthopteran host in which the epimerite is subspherical with a limited number of (8–12) stumpy digitiform processes. The oocysts in this genus contain four long spines, two at each pole. Haldar and Chakraborty (1975) redefined the genus Quadruspinospora by adding that the epimerite contains a variable number of stumpy, digitiform processes. Subsequently a number of new species were added to this genus from different orthopteran species by Haldar and his collaborators, all with four polar spines in their oocysts but having epimerites with highly flexible structures,
*Corresponding
even without any digitiform process (Chakraborty and Haldar 1974; Haldar and Chakraborty 1975, 1976, 1978; Kundu and Haldar 1983; Datta et al. 1990).
Materials and methods The adult hosts, Oxya hyla hyla Serville and Gesonula punctiformes (Stal.), were collected from various grass fields of Kalyani (23°N, 88.5°E) and Halisahar (23°N, 88.5°E) in the morning between 6 to 8 a.m. with the help of an insect collecting net and brought alive to the laboratory for investigation from July, 1995 to October, 1997. A total of 315 adult Oxyla hyla hyla and 169 adult Gesonula punctiformes were dissected and examined for the parasites. These were decapitated, their guts carefully dissected out under a binocular dissecting microscope and gently pressed for the parasites to come out from within the gut lumen. Thin smear preparations fixed in Schaudinn’s fluid were stained with Heidenhain’s haematoxylin. Gametocysts were placed on depression slides
author:
[email protected]
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Œl¹ski Primary types are deposited in the following collections: PLUK – Protozoology Laboratory, University of Kalyani, West Bengal, India. HWML – Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
Results Quadruspinospora cloptoni sp. nov. (Figs 1–14; 15–23)
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Trophozoite (Figs 1–6, 15–17): Solitary, narrowly obpyriform body with the three typical segments. Epimerite simple knoblike in the youngest form, later grows and expands all around to give the shape of a cauliflower connected with protomerite by a short neck. Very shallowly luniform protomerite always broader than long. A distinct septum separates protomerite from deutomerite. Deutomerite narrowly obpyriform. Deutomerite broadest just behind the septum. Cytoplasm of both protomerite and deutomerite granular. Pellicle thick but quite flexible. More or less elliptoid nucleus at the anterior portion of deutomerite with a prominent nuclear membrane. Gamont (Figs 7–11, 18–21): Solitary. Protomerite and deutomerite more or less similar as in trophozoites. Nucleus elliptoidal or narrowly luniform with distinct nuclear membrane. Pellicle thick, but flexible as in trophozoite. Two gamonts associate sidewise before enclosing themselves within a gametocyst. Gametocyst and oocyst (Figs 12–14, 22–23): Gametocyst milky-white, almost orbicular with two equal gametocytes (Figs 12, 22), measuring 370–405 (390 ± 12, 40) enclosed
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and kept inside a moist chamber (>80% relative humidity) for sporulation. The structures of oocysts were studied with the addition of Lugol’s iodine solution (Lugol’s iodine is prepared by adding 1 g each of KI and iodine crystals in 100 ml of distilled water). Observations were done under an oil immersion lens of a phase contrast microscope. Figures of stained specimens were drawn with the aid of a mirror type camera lucida. Measurements of both fresh and stained materials were taken using an ocular micrometer calibrated with a stage micrometer. All measurements, unless otherwise mentioned, are in micrometers. Thirty five specimens of each of trophozoites and gamonts were randomly measured from the infected hosts. Similarly, forty gametocysts and fifty individual oocysts were measured. Measurements were taken from widest part of epimerite, protomerite, deutomerite, nucleus, gametocyst and oocyst and are presented in this paper as range values followed by means, standard errors and population size in parentheses. Blue filters were used for measurements and daylight filters were used for observation of colour in living specimens. Nomenclature for shapes of planes and solids used in this manuscript conforms to Clopton (2004). The following abbreviations are used: LD – length of deutomerite, LE – length of epimerite, LN – length of nucleus, LP – length of protomerite, TL – total length, WD – width of deutomerite, WE – width of epimerite of deutomerite, WN – width of nucleus, WP – width of protomerite. The ratios used are the ratio of the length of protomerite to total length (LP:TL) and the ratio of the width of protomerite to the width of deutomerite (WP:WD).
Table I. Measurements (in µm) of 35 fresh and 35 preserved (fixed and stained) trophozoites and gamonts of Quadruspinospora cloptoni sp. nov.
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TL LE WE LP WP LD WD LN WN LP:TL WP:WD
fresh
preserved
191–970 (612 ± 47.6) 22–56 (34 ± 2.1) 33–78 (53 ± 3.5) 33–134 (71 ± 5.6) 58–180 (132 ± 10.7) 136–780 (570 ± 26.3) 68–190 (143 ± 9.7) 28–46 (40 ± 3.3) 17–36 (28 ± 1.6) 1:6.2–11.4 (8.3 ± 0.5) 1:1–1.6 (1.1 ± 0.03)
183–944 (608 ± 37.4) 22–55 (34 ± 1.9) 33–76 (52 ± 3.3) 32–132 (70 ± 5.2) 57–178 (131 ± 9.7) 129–756 (504 ± 30.1) 67–188 (141 ± 11.2) 28–46 (40 ± 3.4) 17–36 (28 ± 1.7) 1:6.1–10.9 (7.8 ± 0.3) 1:1–1.7 (1.1 ± 0.04)
Gamont fresh TL LP WP LD WD LN WN LP:TL WP:WD
150–728 (392 ± 17.4) 27–104 (62 ± 3.4) 33–135 (94 ± 7.4) 123–624 (330 ± 21.7) 33–257 (126 ± 11.7) 11–56 (34 ± 2.9) 17–36 (20 ± 1.7) 1:5.6–9.3 (7.1 ± 0.4) 1:1–1.9 (1.3 ± 0.04)
preserved 147–719 (388 ± 21.3) 27–101 (59 ± 4.1) 32–134 (93 ± 6.9) 120–618 (329 ± 21.1) 32–255 (114 ± 8.3) 11–55 (34 ± 2.2) 17–36 (20 ± 1.2) 1:5.4–9.6 (7.6 ± 0.4) 1:1–1.9 (1.2 ± 0.03)
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Two new species of Quadruspinospora from grasshoppers
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Figs 1–14. Camera lucida drawings of different stages of life cycle of Quadruspinospora cloptoni sp. nov.: 1–4. Trophozoites of various shapes and sizes. 5 and 6. Enlarged view of the epimerite. 7–11. Gamonts. 12. A freshly collected gametocyst. 13. A cyst just before dehiscence. 14. Oocyst with four spines
within a prominent ectocyst; dehisces by simple rupture at about 48 hours of development inside the moist chamber. Oocysts elliptoid, very uniform in size and shape, measuring 10–10 × 5–5 (10 × 5 ± 0, 50), provided with four comparatively short spines, measuring 14–21 (17 ± 1.5, 100) in length, two at each pole. Eight globular sporozoites situated along the long axis of the oocyst (Figs 14, 23). Taxonomic summary Type material: Six slides containing syntypes have been deposited at the PLUK; Catalog Nos. G3C1-G3C6; 1 slide containing hapantotypes has been deposited at the HWML, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Catalog No. 16635. Type locality: India, West Bengal, Nadia district, Kalyani (23°N, 88.5°E).
Host: Oxya hyla hyla Serville (Insecta, Orthoptera, Acrididae) infesting grass fields. Site: Midgut. Symbiotype: Two whole specimens deposited at the Zoological Survey of India, Government of India, Kolkata, India. Prevalence of infection: 53.7% hosts (169 out of 315) are found to be infected. Infections are persistently found from June to January. Subsequent months of the study period up to May have revealed no infection altogether. Etymology: The specific epithet cloptoni has been given after Dr. Richard E. Clopton of the USA, one of the leading contemporary gregarinologists of the world. Remarks: The gregarine under report belongs to the genus Quadruspinospora Sarkar et Chakravarty, 1969 because it has the following specialized features: Solitary gamonts, thick-
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Figs 15–23. Photomicrographs of Quadruspinospora cloptoni sp. nov.: 15. Trophozoite. 16 and 17. Enlarged view of the anterior part of the trophozoite showing the epimerite. 18–21. Gamonts of various shapes and sizes. 22. Freshly collected gametocyst with ectocyst. 23. Oocysts
walled, orbicular gametocysts dehiscing by simple rupture, elliptoid oocysts with four spines, two at each pole. It resembles Q. chakravartyei Chakraborty et Haldar, 1976 in WP:WD ratio and in measurements of the gametocyst only but differs it in the shape of the epimerite and protomerite, LP:TL ratio as well as the host range. Quadruspinospora indoaiolopii Haldar et Chakraborty, 1976 shows only superficial resemblance with the present form. It shows close affinity with Q. adigitalis Datta, Ghosh et Haldar, 1990 in the ratios of LP:TL, WP:WD and in total length. But they differ in shape of epimerite, body features and the host range. These interspecific differences have been compiled in Table III. The greg-
arine is designated as Quadruspinospora cloptoni sp. nov. in this paper. Quadruspinospora caudata sp. nov. (Figs 24–39; 40–49) Trophozoite (Figs 24–25, 40): Solitary. Typical trophozoite with characteristic epimerite does not have digitiform processes, may be shallowly deltoid or short cone like. Protomerite very shallowly luniform with a slight concavity at its apex to seat the epimerite. It is wider at its base and in most cases the widest region of the body. Septum between protomerite and deutomerite distinct. Deutomerite very narrowly obpyriform
Two new species of Quadruspinospora from grasshoppers
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Table II. Measurements (in µm) of 35 fresh and 35 preserved (fixed and stained) trophozoites and gamonts of Quadruspinospora caudata sp. nov. Trophozoite preserved
332–582 (458 ± 27.9) 21–45 (34 ± 2.1) 43–58 (50 ± 3.3) 27–51 (40 ± 3.1) 83–190 (137 ± 9.7) 284–486 (384 ± 22.6) 90–202 (145 ± 12.3) 32–45 (38 ± 2.8) 24–33 (29 ± 1.8) 1:7.6–14.8 (10.5 ± 0.6) 1:1–1.7 (1.1 ± 0.04)
329–578 (454 ± 27.2) 21–45 (33 ± 1.9) 43–57 (49 ± 3.5) 26–50 (39 ± 2.8) 82–187 (135 ± 11.7) 282–483 (382 ± 29.7) 89–200 (144 ± 9.2) 32–45 (38 ± 3.1) 23–32 (28 ± 1.9) 1:7.8–14.5 (11.6 ± 0.7) 1:1–1.5 (1.1 ± 0.02)
Gamont fresh
preserved
256–609 (485 ± 37.6) 39–99 (69 ± 4.9) 56–210 (131 ± 10.1) 217–510 (416 ± 30.1) 56–232 (175 ± 11.3) 28–66 (45 ± 3.1) 17–45 (34 ± 2.2) 1:6.7–11.9 (7.7 ± 0.3) 1:0.8–1.7 (1.3 ± 0.04)
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258–614 (489 ± 24.3) 40–101 (70 ± 4.2) 57–212 (133 ± 6.7) 218–513 (419 ± 22.7) 57–235 (176 ± 12.3) 28–67 (45 ± 3.1) 17–45 (34 ± 1.8) 1:6.9–12.8 (8.1 ± 0.4) 1:0.9–1.7 (1.3 ± 0.03)
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TL LE WE LP WP LD WD LN WN LP:TL WP:WD
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in young trophozoites, while in mature forms, assumes an obpanduriform followed by sharply narrowed region which ultimately ends in a tubular structure. Body covered by a thick, flexible pellicle. Cytoplasm uniformly granular and epicyteal striations not discernable. Orbicular or elliptoid nucleus situated mostly at anterior region of deutomerite. Gamont (Figs 26–37, 41–47): Solitary, may be tadpolelike, obpanduriform with long tubular posterior extremities. Protomerite separated from deutomerite by distinct convex septum. In young gamonts, deutomerite very narrowly obpyriform but in mature forms, characterized by spherical or bulblike anterior end and a tail-like caudal prolongation. Whole body covered by thick and highly flexible pellicle. Epicyteal striations discernable in many individual specimens. Cytoplasm densely granulated. Nucleus broadly orbicular or very deeply luniform in shape with distinct nuclear membrane usually lodged at the widest region of deutomerite. Two gamonts associate sidewise before enclosing themselves within a gametocyst. Gametocyst and oocyst (Figs 38–39, 48–49): Gametocyst almost orbicular in outline and contains two unequal gametocytes (Figs 38, 48), milky-white, measures 350–375 (365 ± 3, 40). Prominent ectocyst present. Dehiscence of cyst takes place by simple rupture at about 40 hours of development inside the moist chamber. Elliptoid oocysts, very uniform in size and shape, measure 9–9 × 4–4 (9 × 4 ± 0, 50); provided with four elongated spines, two at each pole, 30–37 (34 ± 1.1,
100) in length. Eight rod-shaped sporozoites situated along two longitudinal rows, four in each row (Figs 39, 49). Taxonomic summary
Type material: Four slides containing syntypes have been deposited at the PLUK; Catalog Nos. GT1-GT4; 1 slide containing hapantotypes has been deposited at the HWML, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Catalog No. HWML 16636. Type locality: India, West Bengal, 24 Parganas (N) district, Halisahar (23°N, 88.5°E). Host: Gesonula punctiformes (Stal.) (Insecta, Orthoptera, Acrididae) infesting grass fields. Site: Midgut. Symbiotype: Three specimens deposited at the Zoological Survey of India, Government of India, Kolkata, India. Prevalence of infection: 11.8% hosts (20 out of 169) found to be infected. Infections begin in June-July and continue till October-November and disappear completely thereafter. Infection has never been recorded beyond 25% in July. In the subsequent months very few infections have been recorded. Etymology: The species is named after the characteristic elongated tail-like caudal prolongation. Remarks: The characters like solitary gamonts, thick-walled, orbicular gametocysts dehiscing by simple rupture, elliptoid oocysts with four very long spines two at each pole justify the inclusion of the gregarine under the genus Quadruspinospora Sarkar et Chakravarty, 1969. The present form
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9.9 × 6.6; spine measures 33.2–49.8 1:5.47 1:1.43 Spathosternum prasmiferum prasmiferum Kalyani, India
360.0–380.0
of preserved gamont. All measurements in µm.
Locality
*LP:TL *WP:WD Host
Oocyst
Gametocyst
Nucleus
elliptical
85.0–749.7 25–30 dichotomously branched digitiform processes rectangular or hemispherical
Total length Epimerite
Protomerite
Q. dichotoma Kundu et Haldar, 1983
Kalyani, India
320.0–660.0 × 320.0–660.0; unequal gametocytes 8.3 × 5.0; spine measures 13.3 in length 1:7.1 1:1.2 Phlaeoba antennata
oval
799.7 no distinct digitiform processes in adult trophozoite hemispherical
Naihati, India
420.0; equal or unequal gametocytes 8.3 × 5.0; length of the spine 24.9–33.2 1:7.9 1:1.06 Oxya hyla hyla
oval
441.5 numerous short, stumpy bush-like digitiform processes hemispherical
Kalyani, India
370.0–405.0; equal gametocytes 10 × 5; length of each spine 14–21 1:7.6 1:1.2 Oxya hyla hyla
broadly rectangular or semilunar ovoidal to sickle shaped
147.0–944.0 cauliflower-like
Q. cloptoni.sp. nov.
140.0–600.0 10–23 digitiform processes rhomboidal spherical, subspherical 250.0–440.0; equal gametocytes 10.0 × 5.0; length of each spine 40.0 1:6.3 1 : 1.4 Aiolopus sp., A. thalassimus tamulus Kalyani, Naihati, India
Q. indoaiolopii Haldar et Chakraborty, 1976
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Kalyani, India
90.0–630.0 13–16 digitiform processes hemispherical spherical or slightly oval 290.0–300.0; equal gametocytes 9.0 × 5.0; length of each spine 43.0 1:5.5 1 : 1.1 Trilophidia annulata
Q. megaspinosa Haldar et Chakraborty, 1976
Q. platyepimerita Datta, Ghosh et Haldar, 1990
Kalyani, India
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70.0–720.0 10–13 digitiform processes hemispherical oval or elliptical 240.0–280.0; equal gametocytes 9.0 × 5.0; length of each spine 30.0 1: 5.8 1 : 1.8 Acrida exultata
Q. acridae Haldar et Chakraborty, 1976 emend. Levine, 1988
Q. adigitalis Datta, Ghosh et Haldar, 1990
Kalyani, India
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52.5–457.5 with 20–24 digitiform processes dome shaped spherical to elliptical 350.0–420.0; unequal gametocytes 9.0 × 5.0; length of each spine 30.0 1:6.1 1 : 1.2 Spathosternum sp.
Q. chakravartyei Chakraborty et Haldar, 1976
Characters
Table III (continued)
Locality
Host
*LP:TL *WP:WD
Oocyst
Howrah, India
92.5–290.0 with 8–12 digitiform processes hemispherical spherical 530.0–590.0; equal or unequal gametocytes 8.0 × 4.0; length of each spine measuring 36.0 1:5.3 1 : 1.1 Aiolopus sp.
Total length Epimerite
Protomerite Nucleus Gametocyst
Q. aelopii Sarkar et Chakravarty, 1969
Characters
Halisahar, India
spherical to irregular in shape 350.0–375.0; unequal gametocytes 9 × 4; length of each apine 30–37 1:7.7 1:1.3 Gesonula punctiformes
dome-like or hat-like
256.0–609.0 napiform
Q. caudata sp. nov.
110.0–1020.0 12–18 digitiform processes rhomboidal oval 300.0–440.0; equal gametocytes 10.0 × 5.0; length of the spine 33.0 1:7.09 1 : 1.17 Atractomorpha crenulata Kalyani, India
Q. atractomorphae (Haldar et Chakraborty, 1978) Levine, 1985
Table III. Comparative characters of two new species of Quadruspinospora with closely related described species of the genus Quadruspinospora Sarkar et Chakravarty, 1969
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Two new species of Quadruspinospora from grasshoppers
Figs 24–39. Camera lucida drawings of different stages of life cycle of Quadruspinospora caudata sp. nov.: 24 and 25. Trophozoites. 26–37. Gamonts of various shapes and sizes. 38. A freshly formed gametocyst. 39. Oocyst with four spines
resembles Q. platyepimerita Datta, Ghosh et Haldar, 1990 in similar LP:TL values and in size of gametocyst but otherwise differs from it in other respects like shape of epimerite and protomerite, WP:WD ratio as well as the host range. It shows only superficial resemblance with Q. aelopii and Q. indoaiolopii. The presence of shallowly deltoid or cone-like epimerite and tadpole-like or obpanduriform body with long tubular posterior extremities are sufficient to separate this gregarine from all previously described species of Quadruspinospora and undoubtedly warrant the erection of a new species. All
these differences have been highlighted in Table III. The gregarine is named as Quadruspinospora caudata sp. nov.
Discussion The question of validity of Quadruspinospora was first raised by Sarkar (1987), who in fact, synonymised it with the genus Coronoepimeritus Hoshide, 1959. Although Levine (1988) in his classical monograph categorically considered the two gen-
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Figs 40–49. Photomicrographs of Quadruspinospora caudata sp. nov.: 40. A young trophozoite. 41–47. Different types of gamonts. 48. Freshly collected gametocyst with ectocyst. 49. Oocysts
era as valid, Clopton (2002) in the “Illustrated Guide to the Protozoa”, that is the only modern comprehensive guide listing the septate gregarine genera and their synonyms, did not consider Quadruspinospora as a valid genus and accepted the proposal of Sarkar (1987) who transferred all the species described hitherto under Quadruspinospora to Coronoepimeritus. At this stage we must examine what exactly Hoshide (1959), the expert gregarinologist of Japan, described while establishing the genus Coronoepimeritus (subfamily Acan-
thosporinae Léger, 1892 of family Actinocephalideae Léger, 1892). The genus was described from a number of orthopteran insects in the vicinity of Yamaguchi, Japan. The main character distinguishing the genus is a crown-like globular tumidus epimerite with many small digitiform processes in which the oocysts possess long filament-like polar spines. The type species of the genus C. japonicus Hoshide, 1959 in which the epimerite in fully-grown trophozoites becomes crown-like with ‘numerous’ small digitiform processes and the oocysts have four long polar filaments, two at each pole. Hoshide
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Acknowledgements: The senior author is grateful to the University Grants Commission, New Delhi for providing his Junior Research Scholarship. Sincere thanks are also expressed to the B.C. Agricultural University, Kalyani Campus, for providing with the meteorological data.
Clopton R.E. 2004. Standard nomenclature and metrics of plane shapes for use in gregarine taxonomy. Comparative Parasitology, 71, 130–140. DOI: 10.1654/4151. Datta S.C., Ghosh S., Haldar D.P. 1990. Studies in septate gregarines (Apicomplexa: Sporozoa) from orthopteran insects of West Bengal: Seven new species of Didymophyes, Hirmocystis and Quadruspinospora. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, 87, 227–247. Haldar D.P., Chakraborty N. 1975. The genus Quadruspinospora (Protozoa: Sporozoa) – a new definition. Current Science, 44, 558. Haldar D.P., Chakraborty N. 1976. Observations on the morphology and life history of three new species of cephaline gregarines (Protozoa: Sporozoa) from grasshoppers in West Bengal. Proceedings of the Zoological Society, Calcutta, 29, 73–81. Haldar D.P., Chakraborty N. 1978. A new cephaline gregarine (Protozoa: Sporozoa) from a grasshopper. Indian Journal of Zoology, 6, 43–47. Hoshide H. 1959. Studies on the cephaline gregarines of Japan. II. 3. Description of the members belonging to the families Didymophyidae, Actinocephalidae, Acanthosporidae, Stylocephalidae, Dactylophoridae. Bulletin of Faculty of Education, Yamaguchi University, 8, 35–101. Kundu T.K., Haldar D.P. 1983. Observations on a new species of cephaline gregrarine of the genus Quadruspinospora Sarkar and Chakravarty, 1969 from a grasshopper, Spathosternum prasiniferum. Archiv für Protistenkunde, 127, 97–102. Levine N.D. 1988. The Protozoan Phylum Apicomplexa. Vols 1 and 2. CRC Press, Incorporation, Boca Raton, Florida, 203 pp. and 154 pp. Sarkar A., Chakravarty M. 1969. Gregarines (Protozoa: Sporozoa) from insects. I. New cephaline gregarines of the family Actinocephalidae. Proceedings of the Zoological Society, Calcutta, 22, 17–28. Sarkar N.K. 1987. On the genus Quadruspinospora Sarkar and Chakravarty, 1969 (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida). Proceedings of the Zoological Society, Calcutta, 36, 67–69.
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(1959), in the same paper, described a second species, C. monospinus, in which there is a ‘single’ long filament-like spine at one end of the oocyst with two mounted bands on its surface. As such, Hoshide (1959) did not consider the number of polar filaments on the oocyst as a uniform generic character. The situation is entirely different in all species of the genus Quadruspinospora where the number of polar spines is always four with no deviations, thus this is the typical character that gave the name of the genus as Quadruspinospora. Notwithstanding whatever Sarkar (1987) wrote about Quadruspinospora or the opinions of Clopton (2002) are, we strongly believe that Coronoepimeritus and Quadruspinospora are two distinctly different and valid genera and the inclusion of the presently described species under the latter is fully justified.
References
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Chakraborty N., Haldar D.P. 1974. Morphology and life history of a new cephaline gregarine from grasshopper. Proceedings of the 61st Indian Science Congress Association, Part III (Abstracts), 51–52. Clopton R.E. 2002. Phylum Apicomplexa Levine, 1970: Order Eugregarinorida Léger, 1900. In: (Eds. J.J. Lee, G. Leedale, D. Patterson and P.C. Bradbury) Illustrated Guide to the Protozoa, 2nd ed. Society of Protozoologists, Lawrence, Kansas, USA, 205–288.
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(Accepted September 9, 2008)
