Unilobus scleroni, Modak & Adhikari & Basu & Haldar, 2012

Modak, Biplob Kr, Adhikari, Ranatosh Kr, Basu, Saugata & Haldar, Durga P., 2012, Two New Species of Unilobus Théodoridès, Desportes and Jolivet, 1984 (Apicomplexa: Conoidasida) Parasitizing Tenebrionid Beetles along with the Remarks on the Genus and Its Family Status, Acta Protozoologica 51 (2), pp. 179-186 : 183

Unilobus scleroni n. sp.

Trophozoite ( Figs 10–12 ): Typical tri-partite trophozoite stage is absent. Bi-partite intracellular stage with a protomerite and a deutomerite is also observed in sections.

Gamont ( Figs 13–15 ): Early gamonts are found to attach with the epithelial cells ( Fig. 11 ) but mature forms mainly remain in association. A few solitary forms are also encountered. Mature gamonts are cylindrical or very narrowly oblong measuring 61 to 232 µm in total length. Protomerite is hemispherical or very broadly elliptoidal, separated from deutomerite by a distinct septum. Deutomerite is cylindrical or very narrowly oblong with uniform granulation but denser than protomerite. Nucleus is spherical or orbicular, situated either in the middle or in the posterior end of the deutomerite.

Association ( Fig. 16 ): Association is late and always caudofrontal. Both the primite and the satellite are morphologically similar except the shape of the

Figures

Figs 10–19. Camera lucida drawings of different stages of life cycle of Unilobus scleroni n. sp. 10 – early development of parasite in the epithelial tissue, showing that the development is intracellular; 11 – early gamont attached to the epithelial cells; 12 – gamont in section; 13–15 – gamonts of different ages, showing the position of the nucleus; 16 – gamont in caudo-frontal association; 17 – dehiscence of gametocyst; 18 – gametocyst with fully formed nine sporoducts; 19 – oocysts (= spores) in chain.