Glaucidium brodiei (Burton)

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 : 235-237

Glaucidium brodiei (Burton)

Locality. – Malaysia: Fraser’s Hill , Oct.2002 .

Description. – The gametocytes observed are robust with either amoeboid surface and/or with numerous projections. The gametocytes embrace the erythrocyte nucleus, in few cases the tips meeting on the other end of the nucleus, or even forming a circum-nuclear body. Nuclear displacement occurs in some macrogametocyte-infected cells. The gametocytes contain variable amounts of dense-red staining granules of volutin (volutin granules according to Bishop & Bennett, 1989, stain blue to violet), the granule aggregating more usually at the gametocytes extremities, or inside their projections, if present. Sometimes, the volutin material merges into a solid eosinophilic mass. Although macrogametocyte’s mean nuclear size is close to that measured in H. noctuae , described above, in some cases the nucleus is remarkedly larger (5.7–6.6 × 2.0 –2.4). The pigment granules are as numerous and similarly dispersed as in H. noctuae described above. The trophozoites are first detached of both the nucleus and erythrocyte border, but further develop attached to the nucleus; double and triple trophozoite infections were observed.

Remarks. – The Haemoproteus from Gla. brodiei is readily distinguished from the Haemoproteus from Nin. scutulata . The amoeboid surface and the projections are very conspicuous in the gametocytes from Gla. brodiei , but are lacking in the gametocytes from Nin. scutulata . The parasites of both hosts, nonetheless, largely demonstrate common features with Hae. noctuae as described earlier. Bishop and Bennett (1989) write that the occurrence of volutin is not consistent; in some host birds they occur repeatedly on subsequent checks, in others only occasionally. None of the gametocytes from Nin. scutulata contain volutin. However, volutin was present in Hae. syrnii from another Nin. scutulata (see vide). McClure et al. (1978) reported from same host from Thailand and Malaysia, three species of Haemoproteus , Hae. noctuae , H. syrnii and H. cellii , but none were described.

Although infections from wide range of strigid hosts are regarded as H. noctuae , the structural diversity among populations from diverse hosts and geographical locations cannot be ignored (note the considerable list of synonymised species in Bishop & Bennett (1989) and Valkiunas [1997 (2005)]. Re-appreciation of the interspecific diversity among Haemoproteus of owls, possibly on a genetic level, may provide a different outlook on the divergence of the haemoproteids associated with strigid birds.