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

Abstract

Abstract. Mabuya vitatta (Olivier) (Scincidae) and Agama stellio (L.) (Agamidae) were infected with Hemolivia mariae Smallridge et Paperna, 1997 by ingestion of tick viscera from Amblyomma limbatum Neumann, fed as nymphs on naturally infected Australian sleepy lizards, Tiliqua rugosa Gray. The unnatural infection apparently interfered with the developmental schedule of the parasites. Transmission electron microscopic images of merogonic stages were obtained, as well as images of early developing gametocytes. Tissue and intraerythrocytic meronts were bound by a hardened wall. Intraerythrocytic gametocytes were lodged in a parasitophorous vacuole, which was filled with granular material, and were bound by a twomembrane wall. Small and large osmiophilic bodies were located in a sub-pellicular position. With differentiation, the wall membranes tightened with the parasitophorous vacuole wall, and the osmiophilic bodies disappeared. The outer parasite membrane consolidated into a thick encasing with distinct sutures. Late infection in A. stellio comprised gametocytes only.

Ultrastructure of developmental stages of Hemolivia stellata (Apicomplexa: Haemogregarinidae) in the cane toad Bufo marinus and in its vector tick Amblyomma rotondatum

“…The latter, with their characteristic duct, seemingly drained into the pellicle, are reminiscent of similar bodies found in hemosporidians (Aikawa et al 1969;Paperna and Boulard 2000). Osmiophilic bodies have been observed in young gametocytes of H. mariae (Paperna and Smallridge 2001). Both presently described merozoites, and those of H. mariae, in the above-mentioned study, demonstrate the formation of amylopectin granules within ER components.…”

“…Liver merozoites of H. stellata, described here, and H. mariae (Paperna and Smallridge 2001) lack the crystalloid bodies seen in Hepatozoon sipedon (Smith and Desser 1998); otherwise, the undivided meronts are similar, although in H. sipedon the wall seems to be thinner and permeable. A few organelles never before observed in merozoites and young gametocytes are worth noting: a large electron-dense body seen in a merozoite, and osmiophilic bodies traced in young gametocytes.…”

Ultrastructural Comparison of Hepatozoon ixoxo and Hepatozoon theileri (Adeleorina: Hepatozoidae), Parasitising South African Anurans

“…) and sutures (Boulard et al. ; Paperna and Smallridge ; Telford ) in H. ixoxo is alike to those seen characterising the gamonts of species of Hemolivia . However, in the case of Hemolivia this capsule wall appears impermeable to Giemsa stain and fixation (Boulard et al.…”

Development of Hepatozoon caimani (Carini, 1909) Pessôa, De Biasi & De Souza, 1972 in the Caiman Caiman c. crocodilus, the frog Rana catesbeiana and the mosquito Culex fatigans

“…As far as we are aware there was no development of gametocytes of this parasite in the blood of the experimental frogs. Although Paperna and Smallridge (2001) found that gametocytes of Hemolivia mariae, a haemogregarine of the Australian lizard Tiliqua rugosa, eventually did appear in the blood of lizards of other genera that had been fed with infected tick viscera, it was only after an abnormally long prepatent period. Quite likely, the more drastic move of H. caimani from a reptilian host to an amphibian may entirely preclude the production of gametocytes in frogs.…”