Apolocystis nephredii (Apicomplexa: Monocystinae) A New Aseptate Gregarine Species from Nephredia of Limnodrilus sp. (Annelida: Oligochaeta) from Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Biology, College of Science, Taibah University, PO box 344, Al Madinah Al Munawarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

2 Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, PO box 11566, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

An aseptate gregarine, Apolocystis nephredii, sp. nov. was described as a new species from the nephredia of earthworm, Limnodrilus sp. Life cycle stages of the parasite are present inside the nephredia. Trophozoites are pear, kidney or oval in shape ranging between 81 and 124 µm long and between 75 and 85 µm broad, with an average of 92.7 (±24) x 79 (±3.7) µm. Gametocysts are ellipsoidal and range between 200 and 209 µm long and between 112 and 132 µm broad, with an average of 205.9 (±3.8) x 125 (±4) µm. Sporocysts are navicular with round ends and measure 17 -19.2 x 8.1 - 9 µm, with an average of 18.5 (±0.6) x 8.5 (±0.2) µm

Keywords