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Ultrastructure of cyst formation inBlastocrithidia familiaris inLygaeus pandurus (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae)

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Abstract

The ultrastructural study of encystment ofBlastocrithidia familiaris in the hostLygaeus pandurus is described. Cysts were found attached to flagella of epimastigotes and free in the gut lumen. Most mature cysts were observed in the ileum and rectum, but small numbers were also observed in the ventriculus. Encystment inB. familiaris is characterised by condensation of the nuclear chromatin, kinetoplast and cytoplasm. Morphological changes seen in the plasmalemma include the formation of a dense surface coat around the outer membrane and a dense layer around the inner membrane on the side facing the cytoplasm. The subpellicular microtubules are not seen in mature cysts. A comparison is made with recent ultrastructural studies of encystment ofBlastocrithidia triatomae in vitro and excystment ofB. triatomae in artificially infected hosts. This report is the first known ultrastructural description of encystment in a phytophagous hemipteran and in a naturally infected host.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Salford, M5 4WT, Salford, UK

    K. Tieszen & D. H. Molyneux

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan

    S. K. Abdel-Hafez

Authors
  1. K. Tieszen
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  2. D. H. Molyneux
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  3. S. K. Abdel-Hafez
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Tieszen, K., Molyneux, D.H. & Abdel-Hafez, S.K. Ultrastructure of cyst formation inBlastocrithidia familiaris inLygaeus pandurus (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae). Z. Parasitenkd. 71, 179–188 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00926268

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00926268

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