ARCHIVES
VOL. 8, ISSUE 2 (2023)
Ultrastructure and prevalence of the septate gregarine Quadruspinospora indoaiolopii haldar and chakraborty, 1976 (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Conoidasida), parasitic in the alimentary canal of the grasshopper aiolopus thalassinus tamulus fabricius, 1798 (Orthoptera: Acrididae)
Authors
Susobhan Mondal, Biplob K Modak
Abstract
Septate gregarines (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Conoidasida) are the most varied and common protozoan parasites of invertebrates, especially arthropods. The genus Quadruspinospora has sixteen species, all from orthopterans and all from India except Q. mexicana. Quadruspinospora indoaiolopii, commonly found in the midgut of Aiolopus thalassinus tamulus (Orthoptera: Acrididae). There have been no ultrastructural studies of any Quadruspinospora species reported from India. The present study aims to investigate the surface morphology of Q. indoaiolopii by scanning electron microscopy. For scanning electron microscopy, mature trophozoites and gamonts were isolated and fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde solution with Na-cacodylate buffer (pH 7.4). 29 grasshoppers out of 124 were found to be infected with Q. indoaiolopii. During the monsoon and early winter, prevalence remains higher, averaging 43.3%. Epimerite is subspherical and knob-shaped, with 10–23 digitiform processes. Gamonts are elongated and solitary. Gametocytes are almost orbicular and dehisce by simple rupture. Oocysts are elliptoid in shape and armed with four long spines; each pole has two. Under SEM, the epicytic folds look like ridges that run the whole length of the trophozoite and gamont. Both protomerite and deutomerite remain covered with longitudinal, parallel epicytic folds, which are undulating in appearance. Epicytic folds are absent in the epimerite region. The epimerite-protomerite junction has a short, narrow neck-like structure, and the deutomerite exhibits deep longitudinal grooves. The density of folds is about 7–9 epicytic folds per micron, compared to Q. mexicana, which had five folds per micron.
Download
Pages:85-90
How to cite this article:
Susobhan Mondal, Biplob K Modak "Ultrastructure and prevalence of the septate gregarine <em>Quadruspinospora indoaiolopii </em>haldar and chakraborty, 1976 (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Conoidasida), parasitic in the alimentary canal of the grasshopper <em>aiolopus thalassinus tamulus</em> fabricius, 1798 (Orthoptera: Acrididae)". International Journal of Entomology Research, Vol 8, Issue 2, 2023, Pages 85-90
Download Author Certificate
Please enter the email address corresponding to this article submission to download your certificate.

