Apolocystis, Cognetti de Martiis, 1923

Ramadan, Nadia, Fawzy, Samia, Ali, Medhat & Nigm, Ahmed, 2015, Apolocystis proventus sp. nov. (Apicomplexa: Monocystinae) a New Species of Aseptate Gregarine from Egyptian Earthworms: Pheretima californica and Pheretima elongata (Annelida: Oligochaeta), Acta Protozoologica 54 (3), pp. 233-240 : 234

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.4467/16890027AP.15.019.3216

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03AF87C4-4E40-9858-6315-DE803493FCFA

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Apolocystis
status

 

Genus: Apolocystis View in CoL ( Cognetti de martiis 1923)

Description: sub-spherical, oval, parasite is embedded into the pharyngeal glandular tissue or free in the coelomic fluid around the pharyngeal region in front of the crop region. Adult trophozoites have no polar differentiation (48–65 µm in diameter). Most trophozoites are active with wavy pellicle. Heterogeneity (irregular distribution of paraglycogen granules) in the endoplasm of active trophozoites is observed. Gametocysts measure 56–81 µm in diameter, with a characteristic thick cyst wall. Navicular sporocysts measure 5.8 µm ± 0.2 × 3.5 µm ± 0.4, with small truncate plugs.

Remarks: The parasite was found embedded in the pharyngeal glands, ( Fig. 1) free in the coelom, and in front of the crop region of Pheretima californica and P. elongata . Growing trophozoites were mainly round or oval and had no apparent polarity. The pellicle exhibited active short contractility waves which took many forms ( Fig. 2). The endoplasm of the growing trophozoites exhibited more heterogeneity than adults. Many growing trophozoites had endoplasmic areas without paraglycogen granules. In fresh preparations, the endoplasm of some adult trophozoites exhibited an irregular darker area (more aggregation of paraglycogen granules) around the nucleus with narrow radiating extensions ( Fig. 3). Paraglycogen granules were oval to elongate in shape with rounded ends and ranged from 0.3 µm to 1.6 µm in length. The nucleus was deformed (irregular in shape) in most trophozoites due to the pressure exerted by the active internal streaming of the endoplasm. The nucleus was round, eccentric, and measured about 8–12 µm in diameter ( Fig. 4). Karyosomes were relatively large, eccentric and about 2.4– 5.7 µm in diameter ( Fig. 4). The adult trophozoites had no polar differentiation and measured about 48–65 µm in diameter ( Table 1).

Gametocysts had sizes ranged from 56 to 81 μm in diameter ( Fig. 5). The cyst wall is characterized by its considerable thickness. However, the morphological change of the parasite inside the cyst was hard to observe during progressive stages. In sectioned material, the cyst wall was deeply stained with Haematoxylin and eosin ( Fig. 6). Sporocysts are navicular, with small truncate plugs at both ends, and measured 5.8 ± 0.2 µm in length and 3.5 ± 0.4 µm in width ( Fig. 7 View Fig ).

Darwin Core Archive (for parent article) View in SIBiLS Plain XML RDF