Skip to content
Licensed Unlicensed Requires Authentication Published by De Gruyter March 25, 2015

Ultrastructural characterization of Acarispora falculifera n.gen., n.sp., a new microsporidium (Opisthokonta: Chytridiopsida) from the feather mite Falculifer rostratus (Astigmata: Pterolichoidea)

  • Renate Radek EMAIL logo , Madlen Kariton , Jacek Dabert and Gerd Alberti
From the journal Acta Parasitologica

Abstract

Only about 20 species of microsporidia have been described from mites. All except one species produce typical spores with a long polar filament and a polaroplast. This paper is the first study of an atypical microsporidium infection in a feather mite (Falculifer rostratus). The infection of the pigeon feather mite is restricted to the colon epithelium where it leads to hypertrophy of the concerned cells. During sporogony, a multinucleate plasmodial aggregate is formed within a sporont (endogenous sporogony resulting in a polysporophorous vesicle). The cisterns delimiting the single sporoblasts later form the spore walls. Sporogonial stages are in direct contact to the host cell cytoplasm. Merogonial stages were not present. Spores are tiny (3.6 μm × 2.6 μm), broad oval in form and monokaryotic. The spore wall of mature spores consists of a three-layered endospore and a thin, electron-dense, wavy exospore. The polar filament is anisofilar and completely coiled in 3-4 turns. In cross-sections, it has a star-like appearance because the electron-dense core forms rounded compartments of lucent material at its surface. In superficial sections, this results in a honeycomb-like pattern. A polaroplast is missing. The polar filament arises subapically at a polar sac that lacks an internal anchoring disk. These atypical spore structures clearly classify the species from the feather mite as a member of the order Chytridiopsida. It could not be clearly affiliated to one of the known genera, so we created a new genus, Acarispora, with the species A. falculifera.

References

Alberti G., Dabert J. 2012. Fine structure of the feather mite Falculifer rostratus (Buchholz 1869) (Acari, Falculiferidae): Gnathosoma, digestive system and supracoxal glands. Zoologica 158, Schweitzerbart Science Publishers, 150 pp.Search in Google Scholar

Alberti G., Thaler-Knoflach B. 2013. Chelicerata. In: (Eds. W. Westheide and G. Rieger) Spezielle Zoologie, Teil 1: Einzeller und Wirbellose Tiere, 3rd edition. Springer Spektrum, Berlin, 493-541Search in Google Scholar

Beard C.B., Butler J.F., Becnel J.J. 1990. Nolleria pulicis n. gen., n. sp. (Microsporidia: Chytridiopsidae), a microsporidian parasite of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae). Journal of Protozoology, 37, 90-99. DOI: 10.1111/ j.1550-7408.1990.tb05876.x Search in Google Scholar

Becnel J.J., Jeyaprakash A., Hoy M.A., Shapiro A. 2002. Morphological and molecular characterization of a new microsporidian species from the predatory mite Metaseiulus occidentalis (Nesbitt) (Acari, Phytoseiidae). Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 79, 63-172Search in Google Scholar

Bjørnson S. 2009. Natural enemies of mass-reared predatory mites (family Phytoseiidae) used for biological pest control. In: (Eds. J. Bruin and L.P.S. van der Geest) Diseases of Mites and Ticks. Springer, Berlin, 299-306. DOI: 10.1007/s10493-008-9187-1Search in Google Scholar

Burke J.M. 1970. A microsporidian in the epidermis of Eisenia foetida (Oligochaeta). Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 16, 145-147. DOI: 10.1016/0022-2011(70)90222-3 Search in Google Scholar

Canning E.U., Vavra J. 2000. Phylum Microsporida Balbiani, 1882. In: (Eds. J.J. Lee, G.F. Leedale and P. Bradbury) The Illustrated Guide to the Protozoa, 2nd edition, Allen Press Inc., Lawrence, Society of Protozoologists, 39-126Search in Google Scholar

Dabert M., Witalinski W., Kazmierski A., Olszanowski Z., Dabert J. 2010. Molecular phylogeny of acariform mites (Acari, Arachnida): strong conflict between phylogenetic signal and longbranch attraction artifacts. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 56, 222-241. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2009.12.020Search in Google Scholar

Desportes I., Le Charpentier Y., Galian A., Bernard F., Cochand- Priollet B., Lavergne A., Ravisse P., Midigliani R. 1985. Occurrence of a new microsporidan: Enterocytozoon bieneusi n. g., n. sp., in the enterocytes of a human patient with AIDS. Journal of Protozoology, 32, 250-254. DOI: 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1985.tb03046.x Search in Google Scholar

Field I.A. 1924. Biology and economic value of the sea mussel, Mytilus edulis. Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Fisheries, 38, 127-260Search in Google Scholar

Issi I.V. 1986. Microsporidia as a phylum of parasitic protozoa. Protozoologiya (Leningrad). 10, 6-136, (in Russian, English translation by J.J. Lipa published by The Division of Microsporidia, Society of Invertebrate Pathology (1991) 1-109Search in Google Scholar

Jirovec O. 1940. Zur Kenntnis einiger in Oligochaten parasitierenden Protisten. I. Archiv für Protistenkunde, 94, 80-92Search in Google Scholar

Kalavati C., Narasimhamurti C.C. 1977. Steinhausia spraguei n. sp. a microsporidian parasite of the excretory cells found in the fluid from renal appendages of Sepia elliptica. Rivista di Parassitologia, 38, 271-275Search in Google Scholar

Klimov P.B., OConnor B. 2013. Is permanent parasitism reversible? - Critical evidence from early evolution of house dust mites. Systematic Biology, 62, 411-423. DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syt008Search in Google Scholar

Larsson J.I.R. 1980. Insect pathological investigations on Swedish Thysanura. II. A new microsporidian parasite of Petrobius brevistylis (Microcoryphia, Machilidae); description of the species and creation of two new genera and a new family. Protistologica, 16, 85-101Search in Google Scholar

Larsson J.I.R. 1993. Description of Chytridiopsis trichopterae n. sp. (Microspora, Chytridiopsidae), a microsporidian parasite of the caddis fly Polycentropus flavomaculatus (Trichoptera, Polycentropodidae), with comments on the relationships between the families Chytridiopsidae and Metchnikovellidae. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 40, 37-48. DOI: 10.1111/ j.1550-7408.1993.tb04880.x Search in Google Scholar

Larsson J.I.R. 2014. The primitive microsporidia. In: (Eds. L.M. Weiss and J.J. Becnel) Microsporidia: Pathogens of Opportunity. Wiley Blackwell, Hoboken, 605-634Search in Google Scholar

Larsson J.I.R., Steiner M.Y., Bjørnson S. 1997. Intexta acarivora gen. et sp. n. (Microspora: Chytridiopsidae) - Ultrastructural study and description of a new microsporidian parasite of the forage mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acari: Acaridae). Acta Protozoologica, 36, 295-304Search in Google Scholar

Leger L., Hollande A.C. 1917. Sur un nouveau Protiste a facies de Chytridiopsis, parasite des ovules de l’huitre. Comptes Rendus des Séances de la Société Biologie et de ses Filiales, 80, 61-64Search in Google Scholar

Manier J.-F., Ormieres, R. 1968. Ultrastructure de quelques stades de Chytridiopsis socius Schn., parasite de Blaps lethifera Marsh. (Coleopt., Tenebr.). Protistologica, 4, 181-185Search in Google Scholar

Mironov S.V., Proctor H.C. 2008. The probable association of feather mites of the genus Ingrassia (Analgoidea: Xolalgidae) with the blue penguin Eudyptula minor (Aves: Sphenisciformes) in Australia. Journal of Parasitology, 94, 1243-1248. DOI: 10.1645/GE-1579.1Search in Google Scholar

Ormieres R., Sprague V. 1973. A new family, new genus, and new species allied to the microsporida. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 21, 224-240Search in Google Scholar

Purrini K., Weiser J. 1985. Ultrastructural study of the microsporidian Chytridiopsis typographi (Chytridiopsida: Microspora) infecting the bark beetle, Ips typographus (Scolytidae: Coleoptera), with new data on spore dimorphism. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 45, 66-74. DOI:10.1016/0022-2011(85)90051-5Search in Google Scholar

Puytorac P. de, Tourret M. 1963. Etude de kystes d´origin parasitaire (Microsporidies ou Gregarines) sur la paroi interne du corps des Vers Megascolecidae. Annales de Parasitologie Humaine et Comparée (Paris), 38, 861-874Search in Google Scholar

Reynolds E.S. 1963. The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron- opaque stain in electron microscopy. Journal of Cell BioIogy, 17, 208-212Search in Google Scholar

Richards C.S., Sheffield H.G. 1971. Unique host relations and ultrastructure of a new microsporidium of the genus Coccospora infecting Biomphalaria glabrata. Proceedings of the IV International Colloquium on Insect Pathology, 439-452Search in Google Scholar

Richardson K.C., Jarrett L.J., Finke E.H. 1960. Embedding in epoxy resin for ultrathin sectioning in electron microscopy. Stain Technology, 35, 313-323Search in Google Scholar

Schutte C., Dicke M. 2009. Verified and potential pathogens of predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae). In: (Eds. J. Bruin and L.P.S. van der Geest) Diseases of Mites and Ticks. Springer, Berlin, 307-328. DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4020-9695-2_25Search in Google Scholar

Spurr A.R. 1969. A low-viscosity resin embedding medium for electron microscopy. Journal of Ultrastructure Research, 26, 31-43Search in Google Scholar

Sprague V., Ormieres R., Manier J.-F. 1972. Creation of a new genus and a new family in the Microsporida. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 20, 228-231Search in Google Scholar

Sprague V. 1977a. Classification and phylogeny of the microsporidia. In: (Eds. L.A. Bulla and T.C. Cheng) Comparative Pathobiology, Vol. 2, Systematics of the Microsporidia. Plenum Press, New York, 1-30Search in Google Scholar

Sprague V. 1977b. Annotated list of species of Microsporidia. In: (Eds. L.A. Bulla and T.C. Cheng) Comparative Pathobiology, Vol. 2, Systematics of the Microsporidia. Plenum Press, New York, 31-334Search in Google Scholar

Sprague V. 1982. Microspora. In: (Ed. S.P. Parker) Synopsis and Classification of Living Organisms, Vol. 1. McGraw- Hill Book Co., New York, 589-594Search in Google Scholar

Sprague V., Ormieres R., Manier J.F. 1972. Creation of a new genus and a new family in the Microsporida. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 20, 228-231. DOI: 10.1016/0022-2011(72) 90146-2Search in Google Scholar

Sprague V., Becnel J.J., Hazard E.I. 1992. Taxonomy of phylum Microspora. Critical Reviews in Microbiology, 18, 285-395. DOI:10.3109/10408419209113519Search in Google Scholar

Szollosi D. 1971. Development of Pleistophora sp. (Microsporidian) in eggs of the polychaete Armandia brevis. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 18, 1-15Search in Google Scholar

Tregouboff G. 1913. Sur un Chytridiopside nouveau, Chytridioides schizophylli n. g., n. sp., parasite de l´intestine de Schizophyllum mediterraneum Latzel. Archives de Zoologie Expérimentale et Générale, 52, 25-31Search in Google Scholar

Van der Geest L.P.S., Elliot S.L., Breeuwer J.A.J., Beerling E.A.M. 2000. Diseases of mites. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 24, 497-560. DOI: 10.1023/A:1026518418163.Search in Google Scholar

Vavra J. 1976. Structure of the Microsporidia. In: (Eds. A. Bulla A. and T.C. Cheng) Comparative Pathobiology, Vol. 1. Plenum Press, New York, 1-85Search in Google Scholar

Voronin V.N. 2001. On a macrotaxonomy of the phylum Microsporidia. Parazitologiya, 35, 35-44Search in Google Scholar

Weiser J. 1977. Contribution to the classification of microsporidia. Vestnik Ceskoslovenske Spolecnosti Zoologicke, 41, 308-321Search in Google Scholar

Weiser J. 1983. Taxonomy of the order Chytridiopsida (Microsporidia). Journal of Protozoology, 30, A75. DOI: 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1983.tb01402.x Search in Google Scholar

Received: 2014-9-11
Revised: 2014-11-5
Accepted: 2014-11-27
Published Online: 2015-3-25
Published in Print: 2015-6-1

© 2015 W. Stefański Institute of Parasitology, PAS

Downloaded on 29.3.2024 from https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ap-2015-0029/html
Scroll to top button