The development and fine structure of Lankesterella cf. dicroglossi (Apicomplexa: Lankesterellidae) infecting frogs in Niger, West Africa

Abstract

Abstract. One of four Hoplobatrachus occipitalis (Günther, 1859) frogs received from Niger, West Africa was heavily infected with Lankesterella blood and pre-erythrocytic stages. Infected blood and tissues from this frog were force-fed to the remaining three frogs. Two survived to necropsy on days 14 and 27 post-feeding and were found to be infected with gamogonic and oogonic stages, respectively. The source of infection is inconclusive, as a natural origin cannot be excluded. Microgamont, macrogamont, oocyst and sporozoite structure and fine structure are described and found to conform in general, but not in detail, to previous descriptions. Gamonts and oocysts occurred predominantly in the liver and spleen. Walled sporulating oocysts were situated within macrophage centres. Oocysts yielded a progeny of 32 sporozoites. Pre-erythrocytic sporozoites developed within expanded inclusions, within their host cell, from which they massively invaded the liver and spleen, and to a lesser extent the lungs and kidneys. Sporozoites occurred in a parasitophorous vacuole in the erythrocytes. Conspecificity with Lankesterella dicroglossi Paperna et Ogara, 1996 reported from the same host species in Kenya remains uncertain due to several structural and developmental differences.

Lankesterella poeppigii n. sp. (Apicomplexa, Lankesterellidae) de Bufo poeppigii (Tschudi, 1845) del Perú

“…Invasion of macrophages prior establishment in the circulating erythrocyte is not unique to Lankesterella of toads, and has been observed also in frog species. The sporozoites invade liver parenchyma, tissue macrophages (Paperna & Martin, 2001) and even circulating macrophages (Paperna & Ogara, 1996).…”

“…Later studies include light and electron microscopic accounts on L. minima (Desser et al, 1990) and additional species of both frogs (Stehbens, 1966a,b;Paperna & Ogara, 1996;Paperna & Martin, 2001) and toads: by Mansour & Mohammed (1962) from Bufo regularis Reuss, 1833 and by Lainson & Paperna (1995) from B. marinus.…”

Ultrastructure of developmental stages of Hemolivia mariae (Apicomplexa: Haemogregarinidae), natural parasite of the Australian sleepy lizard, in experimentally infected deviant hosts

“…Sporozoites of the genera Lankesterella and Schellackia accumulate and survive in the melanomacrophage centres prior to their release into the circulatory blood Ostrovska, 1989, Paperna andMartin, 2001). However, H. mariae gametocytes accumulating in the melanomacrophage centres in A. stellio seem to be on way to destruction rather than being stored for subsequent transmission via predation.…”

Reevaluation of Hemoparasites in the Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis) with the First Pathological and Molecular Characterizations of Lankesterella desseri n. sp. and Redescription of Hepatozoon gamezi

“…Taxonomic remarks: The presence of RB is thought to be a distinctive morphological feature of the sporozoites in the hemococcidian genera Lankesterella and Schellackia [4][5][6]33]. Hence, Lankesterella desseri n. sp.…”

“…In contrast to the sexual Microorganisms 2023, 11, 2374 2 of 19 development in the invertebrate host in other blood-borne apicomplexans, infective stages of hemococcidian do not undergo any development in the invertebrates that serve as the mechanical transmitters (paratenic hosts) [1,4]. The transmission between vertebrate hosts occurs by ingestion of infected invertebrates or through injection from the mouthpart when the vectors take blood meals [5]. To date, the definitive host species of hemococcidian are limited to birds, anurans, and lizards [2].…”