Leucocytozoon sp. 3

Paperna, Ilan, Keong, Malcolm Soh Chu & May, Charlotte Yap Aye, 2008, Haemosporozoan Parasites Found In Birds In Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sarawak And Java, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 56 (2), pp. 211-243 : 216

Leucocytozoon sp. 3

( Fig. 6 )

Locality. – Malaysia: Cameron Highlands , Sep.2002, Aug.2003; Fraser’s Hill, Feb., Jul.2003. Found both in Fraser’s Hill and Cameron Highlands in 6% and 7.7%, respectively, of the examined Alc. peracensis in 2002 and 2003 collections, respectively ( Paperna et al., 2005) .

Description. – All the gametocytes are round. The macrogametocyte mean size is 11.16 ± 1.56 × 8.22 ± 1.30 (n = 18; the largest seen is 14.3 × 8.03), and their blue staining cytoplasm contains moderate number of vacuoles, deep-staining small condensations and 4.12 ± 1.08 × 2.54 ± 0.53 nucleus with central or off-centre karyosome. The host-cell nucleus occupies 18.7 ± 4.31 (61 ± 16%, with a range of 38–76%) of the macrogametocyte perimeter of 31.8 ± 3.9. One monocyte contained a young macrogametocyte. The few (four) microgametocytes found are 10.7 ± 1.84 × 8.03 ± 1.1, with a rose-staining cytoplasm and obliterated nuclear details. The host-cell nucleus occupies 14.7 ± 2.54 (45 ± 7%, with a range of 40–53%) of the microgametocyte perimeter of 32.3 ± 1.3.

Remarks. – The relationship between the host cell nucleus and the gametocyte varies from 38% to 78% and thus partly corresponds with Valkiunas [1997 (2005)] definition of Leu. majoris, i.e. the host-cell nucleus-gametocyte relationship is “more than half its perimeter”, while the others fit with his definition of Leu. fringillinarum, “less than half its perimeter”. The apparent wide variation in host-cell nucleus dimensions casts doubts on the validity of the host-nucleus structure as a differentiating character. This leaves us with no other reliable character for differentiating species of Leucocytozoon . At the same time, it questions the validity of such all inclusive species as Leu. majoris and Leu. fringillinarum as suggested by Valkiunas [1997 (2005)].

Figures

Fig. 6. Leucocytozoon sp. 3 from Alcippe peracensis, Malaysia (from left: microgametocyte and two macrogametocytes).