Saugata Basu

Two new species of Phleobum (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Hirmocystidae) are described from adult grasshoppers in Kalyani, India. Phleobum globuloepimeritum n. sp. is described from Oxya hyla hyla (Insecta: Orthoptera: Acrididae) and Phleobum elliptica n. sp. from Atractomorpha crenulata (Insecta: Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae). In P. globuloepimeritum, the trophozoites are solitary, orangecoloured, have a maximum length of 352 μm with a hyaline globular epimerite and the protomerite in satellite is characteristically flanged. The gametocyst is orange, orbicular, averaging 300 × 250 μm in size, dehiscing through a pore after 50 h. The oocysts are uniformly smooth, ellipsoidal, measuring 9 × 5 μm. In P. elliptica trophozoites are also solitary, orange-coloured, having a maximum length of 157 μm with triangular epimerites. The protomerite flange is typically a bowel-shaped collar. The gametocyst is yellow-orange, ellipsoidal, averaging 240 × 165 μm and dehisces through a pore after 72 h, releasing smooth-walled, ellipsoidal, uniformly shaped oocysts measuring 5 × 3 μm. The two new species share traits, which define the genus such as: gamonts in association, satellites with characteristic flange and gametocysts dehiscence through a single pore. The epimerite of P. globuloepimeritum is hyaline and globular, which is unique among members of the genus. The gametocyst of P. elliptica is notably ellipsoidal. Basing on observation on all the described and present two species, generic characters of the genus Phleobum have been redefined. The genus is also transferred from the family Didymophyidae to the family Hirmocystidae as the gametocysts in all the species of Phleobum dehisce through a pore.

Two new myxozoan species – Myxobolus analfinus sp. n. and Myxobolus debsantus sp. n. are described from Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) and Catla-Rohu hybrid carp [Male parent fish Catla catla (Hamilton Buchanan) × Female parent fish Labeo rohita (Hamilton- Buchanan)], respectively. Spores of Myxobolus analfinus are oval with slightly acuminate anterior end and large prominent intercapsular notch. On the other hand, in Myxobolus debsantus spores are spherical to oval with intercapsular notch and posterior sutural markings. In both the myxobolid species polar capsules are unequal. The detailed light microscopic and SEM structures and measurements of these two myxozoans are given.

This paper deals with the morphology and life history of two new species of septate greganines (Apicomplexa: Conoidasida: Gregarinidae) of the genus Unilobus Théodoridès, Desportes & Jolivet, 1984, obtained from two tenebrionid beetles of West Bengal, India.These are Unilobus gonocephali n. sp. from Gonocephalum sp. (Insecta: Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Unilobus scleroni n. sp. from Scleron irregulate (Insecta: Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Total length of U. gonocephali varies from 200–467 μm. Gametocysts spherical, 410 μm in average diameter, dehisces through 7–9 sporoducts. U. scleroni is comparatively smaller, total length varies from 61–232 μm. Gametocyst spherical with average diameter 350 μm, dehices through 10 to 12 sporoducts. The two new species share traits which define the genus such as the absence of epimerite, expanded protomerite and late association. These two described species are not only different from the previously described species, but also oocysts (= spores) entirely different from each other in characters like measurements, number of sporoduct and in host range. This communication also confi rmed the validity of the genus Unilobus Théodoridès, Desportes & Jolivet, 1984 and its placement under the family Gregarinidae Labbé, 1899.