First record of gregarine protists (Apicomplexa: Sporozoa) in Asian fungus-growing termite Macrotermes barneyi (Blattaria: Termitidae)

Abstract

Macrotermes barneyi, widely distributed in southern China, is the major fungus-growing termite in the subfamily Macrotermitinae. It has no flagellated protists in the guts. Here, we report occurrence of gregarine, a protozoan parasite in the digestive tract of M. barneyi. The general morphology and ultrastructure of the gregarine gamonts and syzygies by light micrograph and scanning electron micrograph are presented. SSU rDNA sequence analysis showed that the termite gregarine has the highest identity (90.10%) to that of Gregarina blattarum from cockroaches. Phylogenetic analysis based on the SSU rDNA sequences from diverse insect eugregarines indicated that the gregarine from M. barneyi is phylogenetically close to G. blattarus, L. erratica and G. tropica from Gregarinidae and Leidyanidae families, and may represent a novel species. This study expands our knowledge about the diversity of terrestrial eugregarines parasitizing in termites.

Histological Findings in Captive Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches (Gromphadorhina portentosa) and a Literature Review

“…This is supported by their morphological description in multiple reports, size, and presence only within the ventriculus. 1,4,5,11,50,64 Lethal disease manifesting as swollen abdomens and watery feces has been associated with large numbers of gregarines and watery fluid within the intestinal tracts of an MHC colony. 1 The gregarines were not proven to be the cause of the disease, but it was stated that the large number of parasites within the gut along with the clinical disease was evidence that they were the likely cause of enteric disease in these insects.…”

2D approach to reconstruct the evolutionary history of clevelandellids (Ciliophora, Armophorea) inhabiting the hindgut of the Panesthiinae cockroaches

“…The digestive tract of cockroaches and termites represents a suitable microhabitat for a variety of protist groups including amoebas, flagellates, gregarines, and ciliates (e.g., Cleveland et al, 1934; Kidder, 1937; Radek et al, 2023; Zhang et al, 2021 and references cited therein). Despite the comparatively small dimensions of the hindgut compartment, its residents are distributed all over the world but in the Antarctic, copying the geographical ranges of their hosts.…”

Occurrence of Gregarines (Protozoa: Apicomplexa) in the Neotropical Soldierless Ruptitermes spp. (Isoptera, Termitidae, Apicotermitinae)

“…Additionally, the stages of oocysts and gametocysts have already been described in the hindgut of Zootermopsis angusticollis and hemocoel of Coptotermes gestroi (Henry, 1933;Costa-Leonardo et al, 2008). Free gamonts, gamonts in syzygy and gametocysts were observed only in the worker caste of the termitid Macrotermes barneyi, being absent in soldiers and reproductives (Zhang et al, 2021). Although the stages of gametocyst and sporozoites were not observed in the present study, it was possible to detect up to 4 gamonts and 2 trophozoites in the same worker.…”

“…However, termite societies have evolved mechanisms to limit or prevent disease agents within their colonies, making such observation unusual (Chouvenc et al, 2011). Previous records of termite gregarine infections were reported in the families Hodotermitidae (Uttangi & Desai, 1962), Rhinotermitidae (Uttangi & Desai, 1962;Huger & Lenz, 1976;Kalavati & Narasimhamurti, 1978;Hall & Hostettler, 1993;Costa-Leonardo et al, 2008), Archotermopsidae (Grassé, 1986) and Termitidae (Kalavati & Narasimhamurti, 1978;Kalavati & Narasimhamurti, 1980;Zhang et al, 2021). Gregarines present a life cycle with an endogenous stage within the insect body and an exogenous stage in the external environment (Fig 1).…”