Monocystis hamidae, Sarkar & Kundu & Bandyopadhyay, 2020

Sarkar, Sutapa, Kundu, Beauty & Bandyopadhyay, Probir K., 2020, Description of three new species of Aseptate Gregarine, Monocystis von Stein, 1848 of Oligochaetes collected from Dhaka, Bangladesh, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 120 (3), pp. 211-219 : 214-215

Monocystis hamidae sp. nov.

Description: Trophozoites are irregular in shape. The anterior end contains a broad opening but the posterior part is blunt and bugle like.Nucleus rounded.Gametocysts contain two unequal gametocytes. Large gametocytes are deltoid in shape (Clopton F9). Small gametocytes are obdeltoid in shape (Clopton G10). Oocysts are rhomboid in shape (Clopton C5).

Trophozoites measure 198.9 - 207.2 (202.41 ± 3.26) µm in length, anterior part measures 44.20 - 48.62 (46.41 ± 2.26) µminwidthandposteriorpartmeasures17.68-19.89(19.28 ± 0.62) µm in width. The diameter of nucleus measures 5.5–

6.5 (6.0 ± 0.55) µm. Total gametocyst measures 145.25 –

160.50 (150.60 ± 6.0) µm. Large gametocyte measures 80.90 - 100.50 (90.50 ± 6.00) µm × 55.19 - 95.15 (64.46 ± 12.15) µm. The small gametocyte measures 70.60 - 90.05 (85.50 ± 6.00) µm in length and 60.30 - 72.60 (66.20 ± 5.05) µm in width. Oocysts measure 8.50 - 9.25 (8.00 ± 1.25) µm in length and 5.25 - 5.50 (5.45 ± 1.21) µm in width.

Type material: Monocystis hamidae sp. nov.

Type host: Metaphire peguana Rosa, 1980

Site of infection: Seminal vesicles

Type locality: Dhaka, Bangladesh

Prevalence: Ten out of thirty-seven host earthworms (27.02%) were infected with the parasite.

Material deposited: Holotype: PR/ MC/29 /11 is deposited at the Parasitology Laboratory , Department of Zoology , University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741235, West Bengal, India.

Paratype: The paratype has been deposited in the Harold W Manter, Laboratory of Parasitology , Systematic Research Collections, University of Nebraska State Museum, W 436, Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0514 USA, (Accession no. P-2014-002; Reg. no. HWML 49902 ) .

Etymology: The specific epithet “ hamidae ” has been given after the name of Prof. Hamida Khanam, Professor of Zoology (Retd.), University of Dhaka, Bangladesh for her outstanding contribution in the field of Parasitology.

Remarks: While comparing the present species with Monocystis bengalensis Ghosh, 1923 and Monocystis levinei Bandyopadhyay et al. 2005 , it appears that M. levinei has lobe like anterior end. In present form, the anterior portion with broad opening which gives a mouth like shape while, in M. bengalensis gamont is oval shaped in young stage, elongated or club shaped in mature stage, contains rounded anterior end. In addition to the anterior end, the posterior end of the present form exhibits prominent differences with M. levinei and M. bengalensis . The present form has a lobe like cylindrical tail which shows a significant difference from the previously described species as it bears pointed tail. Moreover, the shape and size of nucleus, gametocyst and oocyst of the current species are different from the previously recorded species. Furthermore, the present form has been recorded from Metaphire peguana of Dhaka, Bangladesh, while M. levinei and M. bengalensis have been recorded from Eutyphoeus incommodus of Nadia, West Bengal, India and Pheretima posthuma of Calcutta, West Bengal, India respectively ( Table 5).

Based on the comparative characters of the present form with the previously described species, the species under discussion seems to be a new one hence the name Monocystis hamidae sp. nov. is being proposed.