Pterospora floridiensis, a new species of acephaline gregarine (Apicomplexa) from the maldanid polychaete Axiothella mucosa in St. Andrew Bay, Florida

Abstract

Pterospora floridiensis, a new species of acephaline gregarine from the body cavity of the bamboo worm Axiothella mucosa (Polychaeta: Maldanidae), is described. The gamont stage is distinctive and possesses a central cytoplasmic mass and two elongate trunks that bifurcate repeatedly and comprise approximately 60% of the total cell length. The gamont averages 198 (50–545) × 71 (25–180) μm (N= 45, 43) from the tip of the trunks to the anterior (the junctional site with the other gamont in syzygy). Gametocysts average 402 (297–545) × 304 (149–495) μm (N= 37). The oöcysts measure 22.5 (20.5–23.5) × 8.3 (7.0–10.0) μm (N= 30) and possess an internal capsule (average length = 13.9 μm, N= 30) containing the sporozoites and aliform wings on the epispore.