Haemoproteus clamatori, Peirce & Adlard, 2005

Peirce, M. A. & Adlard, R. D., 2005, The haemoproteids of the Cuculidae, Journal of Natural History 39 (25), pp. 2281-2287 : 2283-2285

Parasite: Haemoproteus clamatori sp. nov.

( Figure 1G–I )

Type host. Clamator jacobinus Boddaert.

Type locality. Ngulia, Kenya.

Vector. Unknown, but assumed to be either hippoboscid or ceratopogonid. Etymology. Named for the type host genus.

Immature gametocyte. Generally occupies a lateral position within the erythrocyte with marked displacement of host cell nucleus. Margins entire with rounded, smooth poles ( Figure 1G ).

Macrogametocyte ( Figure 1H ; Table I). Mature parasites present the usual staining and sexual differentiating characteristics. Parasite entire, halteridial with smooth rounded ends; occupying about 90% of host cell cytoplasm. Nucleus, compact and central; pigment granules averaging 14.3 scattered throughout the cytoplasm; variable texture from pale yellow to dark brown. In some parasites pigment granules are almost absent, but small, round, purple volutin granules are usually present. Lateral displacement of host cell nucleus with 13% hypertrophy in length and width and 25% in area.

Microgametocyte ( Figure 1I ; Table I). Similar in shape to the macrogametocyte and presenting the usual staining characteristics. Nucleus generally central but very diffuse; staining pale pink; pigment granules averaging 16.3 may be scattered or concentrated at the poles. As with the macrogametocyte there is marked displacement of the host cell nucleus with hypertrophy of 12–14% in length and width and 24% in area.

Ratio of macrogametocytes to microgametocytes is 68:32. Multiple invasion of erythrocytes occasionally present.

Hapantotype: Garnham Collection 978 (Natural History Museum, London) from Clamator jacobinus coll. Peirce, 26 November 1975, Ngulia , Kenya . Parahapantotypes: Garnham Collection 979 (Natural History Museum, London) from C. jacobinus coll. Peirce, 7 December 1975, Ngulia , Kenya ; IRCAH: G428182 from C. jacobinus coll. Peirce, 26 February 1975, Ngulia , Kenya ; IRCAH: G428184 from C. jacobinus coll. Peirce, 22 February 1971, Ngulia , Kenya : IRCAH: G463586 from E. scolopacea coll. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 March 1999, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia .

Other hosts. Clamator levaillantii (Swainson) , C. coromandus (L.) and Cacomantis merulinus (Scopoli) . Presumably occurs throughout the distributional range of the Cuculinae .

Comments. The description of H. clamatori is based on the original material used by Peirce (1977) together with additional slides from the IRCAH collection and a more detailed range of morphometric measurements. As a consequence of this review the slides in the Garnham Collection and the IRCAH have been redesignated.

Figures

Figure 1. (A–C) Haemoproteus cuculis sp. nov.: (A) immature gametocyte; (B) macrogametocyte; (C) microgametocyte (upper) and immature gametocyte (lower). (D–F) Haemoproteus centropi: (D) immature gametocyte (upper) and almost mature microgametocyte (lower); (E) macrogametocyte; (F) two microgametocytes. (G–I) Haemoproteus clamatori sp. nov.: (G) immature gametocyte; (H) macrogametocyte; (I) microgametocyte. Scale bar: 14 mm.