The gregarines from Black Sea invertebrates

By I.Belofastova

• Subfillum Apicomplexa Levine, 1970
  • Class Sporozoea Leuckart, 1879
    • Subclass Gregarinia Dufour, 1828
      • Order Eugregarinida Leger, 1900
        • Family Cephaloidophoridae Kamm,1922
          • Genus Cephaloidophora ( Mavrodiadi,1907)

Cephaloidophora rhithropanopei Belofastova, 1996

from "Two Species of Genus Cephaloidophora
(Eugreoarinida, Cephaloidophoridae) - Parazites of the Black Sea Crabs"
I.P.Belofastova. Parasitologia, 1996, v.30, N.3. P.270-274

Host: crab Rhithropanopeus harrisi tridentata.

Location: intestine.

Locality: Ukraine, Crimea, Sevastopol, the estuary of the Black river. July, 1994.

One gamont and two syzygies have been found in one from four crabs.

Description. Gamont cylindrical, lineare. Protomerite hemispherical, transparent, with epimerite tract. Deutomerite has thin ectoplasme and granular endoplasme. Nucleus spherical, compact, in the center of deutomerite.

Syzygy biassociative, linear, caudofrontale.

Primite: elongate, cylindrical; protomerite round, transparent, with visible epimerite tract; deutomerite milky-white, nucleus in the postequatorial part of deutomerite.

Satellite shorter then primite; protomerite flattened, transparent; deutomerite with white endoplasme; nucleus in the center of deutomerite. Gametocystes are not found.

Described species differs from Cephaloidophora conformis by small sizes and ratio LP:TL, LND:LD, ЖN: LD. Syzygies of Cephaloidophora rithropanopei begin to form the gametocysts when their gamonts are 230-250 long.

Size characteristics of Cephaloidophora rhithropanopei (mm):

TL - total length ; LP - protomerite length; WP - protomerite width; LD - deutomerite length; WD - deutomerite width; LP:TL - ratio of length protomerite and total length of sporont; WP:WD - ratio of protomerite and deutomerite widths ; ЖN- nucleus diametre, ЖN:LD - ratio of nucleus diametre and deutomerite length; LND:LD - parametre "nucleus place"( the ratio between the distance from protomerite wall to centre deutomerite nucleus.

Cephailodophora conformis (Diesing, 1851) Leger et Duboscq, 1911

from "Two Species of Genus Cephaloidophora
(Eugreoarinida, Cephaloidophoridae) - Parazites of the Black Sea Crabs"
I.P.Belofastova. Parasitologia, 1996, v.30, N.3. P.270-274

Synonyms: Carcinoecetes conformis (Diesing, 1851) Leger et Dubouscq,1907; Gregarina conformis Diesing,1851; Aggregata conformis (Diesing,1851) Leger et Dubouscq,1907.

This species has been found in Pachygrapsus marmoratus from the Mediterranean Sea (France,Tunis) and Atlantic coast of Spain (Sprague,Couch,1971).

Host: crab Pachigrapsus marmoratus

Location: intestine

Locality: Tarkhankut Cap, July 1990 , prevalence 23,5 %; Karadag, August 1994, prevalence 53,5%; Sevastopol, Karantinnaja Bay , July 1993, prevalence: 46,6 %.

Description: Gamont elongate, cylindrical; protomerite hemisperical, transparent, with visible epimerite tract. Deutomerite elongate, with think ectoplasme and granular endoplasme. Spherical nucleus in the anterior part of deutomerite. Mean size characteristics of 10 gamonts (mm): TL - 189, LP - 25, WP - 29, LD -164, WD - 36, LP:TL - 1:10, WP:WD - 8:10, ЖN - 17, Ж N:LD -1:10, LTD:LD - 2:10

Syzygy biassociative, caudofrontale; primite thickset;

Primite: protomerite trasparent, hemispherical or spherical, lenght 50-75, width 38-75 . Deutomerite elongate, cylindrical, length338-625, width 63-138. Nucleus spherical or oval, diametre 13-38, in the deutomerite centre.

Satellite more longer then primite; protomerite elongate, often deformated; length 36-50,width 50-62. Gamonts becomes to form the syzygies under length 170-236 . Mature gametocysts oval or spherical, diametre 142-160, attached to rectum wall.

Mean size characteristics of syzygies ( 36 pairs) ( mm):

• Family Porosporidae Labbe,1898
  • Genus Nematopsis Schneider,1892

from "Gregarines of the Genus Nematopsis
(Eugreoarinida, Porosporidae) - Parazites of the Black Sea Invertebrates"
I.P.Belofastova. Parasitologia, 1996, v.30, N.2. P.158-173

Nematopsis auriticun Belofastova, 1996

Crustacean host: crab Eriphia verrucosa.

Location: intestine.

Locality: Ukraine, Crimea, Sevastopol, Karantinnaja Bay, October,1990, prevalense 5,6%.

Molluscan host:Unknown.

Description: Gamonts in the most case elongate, cylindrical, sometimes "barrel form".

Syzygy caudofrontale, from 2-4 gamonts in the linear chain. The smallest syzygy 259 long, largest - 616.

Primite: Protomerite pear-shaped or spherical, trasparent, length 16-24 ,width 18-22. Deutomerite elongate, with thick ectoplasme and granular endoplasme; length104-160,width 32-80, in anterior part of deutomerite the cytoplasme narrows and forms the tube, which contacts with protomerite. Nucleus spherical, oval or formless, diametre 25-40, in the frontal part of deutomerite, may be near the side.

Satellite in the most cases elongate, may be thicken, protomerite is absent, with 1-3 nuclei. Nuclei of mature gregarines are drawed together and situated in the posterior part of satellite.

Mean size characteristics of Nematopsis auriticum (15 specimens) (mm):

Satellite: LS - 308, WS - 62. (LS - satellite length, WS - satellite width).

Gametocysts and gymnospores are not identified. Oocysts are not found.

This species differs from Nematopsis legeri by larger sizes, absence of "bifurcate" syzygies, drawed satellite nuclei in the mature specimens, massive "muscle neck", narrowing deutomerite cytoplasme in the anterior part. Nematopsis auriticum differs from Nematopsis portunidarum by the situation of deutomerite nucleus, larger sizes, drawed together satellite nuclei, the situation of satellite nuclei in mature gregarines, massive "muscle neck".

from "Gregarines of the Genus Nematopsis
(Eugreoarinida, Porosporidae) - Parazites of the Black Sea Invertebrates"
I.P.Belofastova. Parasitologia, 1996, v.30, N.2. P.158-173

Nematopsis incognito Belofastova, 1996

Crab host: Unknown

Molluscean host: Cerastoderma lamarcki, Chamelea gallina, Spisula subtruncata.

Location: mantle, gills.

Locality: Ukraine, Crimea, Sevastopol, July 1994; Karadag, August 1994.

Cerastoderma lamarcki - Sevastopol: in one from two molluscs;

Chamelea gallina - Sevastopol: Uchkuevka - prevalence - 87,5%;

Kazachja Bay - prevalense - 4,8%;

Spisula subtruncata - Sevastopol : Uchkuevka - prevalence - 97,5%;

Karadag: prevalence - 55%.

Description: Oocysts. Endospore thin, oval, round in across diametre, with pointed one side and apical pore, outer epispore thick, transparent, gelatine. Accessory body invisible.Sizes characteristics in different hosts: in Chamelea gallina - (15,7±0,5) x (11,7± 0,5) , in Spisula subtruncata : (16,3± 0,5) x ( 1,8 ±0,5). In the most of cases the single oocyst is situated in the host phagocyte, 2-3 or 5 oocysts in the phagocyte are rare. Single sporozoite in oocyst,thickset, folded in two. Sporozoite nucleus spherical, diametre 3-4.

Oocysts of this species differs from Nematopsis legeri by size characteristics, absense of accessory body in the epispore, epispore types. Oocysts Nematopsis incognito differs from Nematopsis portunidarum by size characteristics, situation of sporozoite in endospore.

from "Gregarines of the Genus Nematopsis
(Eugreoarinida, Porosporidae) - Parazites of the Black Sea Invertebrates"
I.P.Belofastova. Parasitologia, 1996, v.30, N.2. P.158-173

Nematopsis legeri (de Beachamp, 1910) Hatt, 1931

Nematopsis legeri (de Beachamp, 1910) Hatt, 1931

Synonyms: N.mediterranean Leger,1905 ; Porospora legeri de Beachamp, 1910; P.galloprovincialis Leger et Dubouscq,1905.

This species has been found in Mediterranean molluscs and crabs.

Crab host: stone crab Eriphia verrucosa.

Location: intestine.

Locality: Ukraine, Crimea, Sevastopol, Karantinnaja Bay.Prevalence- 41.4%.

Molluscean hosts: Gibbula divaricata, Rissoa splendida, Modiolus adriaticus, Hamelea gallina,Polititapes aurea, P.petalina, Ostrea edulis, Mytilus galloprovincialis.

Location: gills, mantle, hepatopancreas.

Locality: the Crimean coast: prevalence in: Mytilus galloprovincialis - 30-100%; Ostrea edulis - 47-100%; Gibbula divaricata: Karadag, August 1994, prevalense 20%; Rissoa splendida: Karadag, August 1994, prevalence - 7,5%; Modiolus adriaticus : Sevastopol, Kazachja Bay, July 1994, prevalence - 100%.; Chamelea gallina: Karadag, Fox Bay, August 1994, prevalense 90%; Sevastopol: Kazachja Bay, July 1994, prevalence - 48%; Omega Bay - 26%, Uchkuevka - 65%, Kamischovaja - 80%.

Description: Gamont elongate, cylindrical, milky-white (only young trophosoites and gamonts have an epimerite). Protomerite spherical or pear-shaped, transparent, length 10-12 , width 10-24. Protomerite of mature specimens may be hemispherical. Deutomerite elongate, cylindrical, length 48-90, width 19-42. Delicate "muscle-neck" in the anterior part of deutomerite.Deutomerite ectoplasme thin, endoplasme thick, granulate, in the anterior part hemispherical. Nucleus compact, oval or spherical, diametre 10-13, in the young specimens it is located in the deutomerite centre.

Syzygy caudofrontale, linear or "bifurcate". The smallest of observed syzygies 24 in length, the largest ones 338.

Primite: Protomerite and deutomerite are the same as in the gamont. In mature specimens nucleus is situated in the posterior part of deutomerite.

Satellite elongate, cylindrical, length102- 360, width 16-45. Division on the protomerite and deutomerite is absent. Nucleus oval or spherical, 1-2 in linear syzygies, rare drawed together in the satellite centre. Satellite with single nucleus 12-216 long, with two nuclei - 70-264.

Mean size characteristics of Nematopsis legeri (mm):

Satellite: LS - 167, WS - 27. (LS - satellite length, WS - satellite width).

Gametocysts are attached to rectum wall, diametre 25-44 .

Gimnospores spherical, diametre 5.

Oocysts. Endospore oval, thin, round in diametre across, pointed in one side, with apical pore; epispore thick, hemispherical, with oval accessory body, 1-12 specimens in one phagocyte of host.

Mean size of oocysts Nematopsis legeri (mm):

• Mytilus galloprovincialis: (15,4 ±0,05) ґ(7,7± 0,05);
• Ostrea edulis: (12,7 ±0,05) ґ8;
• Rissoa splendida:(15,6 ±0,05)ґ 8;
• Chamelea gallina: (16,5 ±1,2)ґ(8,1±0,8)

from "Gregarines of the Genus Nematopsis
(Eugreoarinida, Porosporidae) - Parazites of the Black Sea Invertebrates"
I.P.Belofastova. Parasitologia, 1996, v.30, N.2. P.158-173

Nematopsis portunidarum (Frensel, 1855) Hatt, 1931

Nematopsis portunidarum (Frensel, 1885) Hatt, 1931

Synonims: Aggregata portunidarum Frensel,1855; Nematopsis schneideri Leger,1903; Frenselina portunidarum (Frensel,1855) Leger et Dubouscq,1911; Porospora portunidarum (Frensel,1885) Leger et Dubouscq,1911.

This species has been known from Carcinus maenas

Crab host: Carcinus mediterraneus.

Location: intestine

Locality: Ukraine, Crimea, Sevastopol, Michajlovskaja Bay, 25.09.1989.

Molluscean host: Abra ovata, Cerastodema lamarcki, Chamelea gallina, Donax trunculus.

Locality: Sevastopol, July 1994; Karadag, August 1994; Donuzlav, October 1989; Kerch (Tuzla).

Description: Gamonts elongate, cylindrical.

Syzygy caudofrontale, from 2-6 sporonts in linear chain.

Primite: Protomerite spherical or hemisperical, transparent, length 24-48, width 24-56, with epimerite tract. Deutomerite elongate, cylindrical, length 170-520, width 24-112, with thin endoplasme and granular endoplasme. Endoplasme in the anterior part ( under "muscle neck") of deutomerite is hemispherical. Nucleus spherical, compact, diametre16-40 ,is situated in the middle part of deutomerite.

Satellite cylindrical, elongate, length 352-1064. Nuclei spherical or oval, 1-5 in satellite, in the posterior part of satellite . Nucleus may be absent or in the primites or the satellites.

Mean size characteristics of Nematopsis portunidarum (mm):

Satellite: LS - 718, WS - 81.(LS - satellite length, WS - satellite width).

Oocysts - 1-7 in one phagocyte of host. Endospore thin, oval, round in across diametre, with apical pore in the pointed side. Epispore thick, spherical, transparent ; accessory body is absent.

Mean size characteristics oocysts:

• from Cerastoderma lamarcki - (14,9 ± 0,6)ґ(8,9 ± 0,3),
• from Chamelea gallina - (10,6 ± 0,2)ґ(6,8 ± 0,2).

Sporozoites in oocysts elongate, thin, turned in spiral. Nucleus invisible

N.incognito from C.galina (*1500)

N.legeri (*400)

N.legeri (*44)

N.legeri from Chamelea gallina (*1500)

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