JOHENREA LOCUSTAE N-G, N-SP (MICROSPORA, GLUGEIDAE) - A PATHOGEN OF MIGRATORY LOCUSTS (ORTHOPTERA, ACRIDIDAE, OEDIPODINAE) FROM MADAGASCAR

A new microsporidium was isolated from the migratory locust, Locusta m igratoria capito, collected in Madagascar. This new species was found to be haplokaryotic throughout development, produced polysporophorous vesicles of parasite origin, and there was conspicuous xenoma formatio n. The xenoma was a complex structure composed primarily of fat body c ells. The wall of the xenoma was bound by a basement membrane beneath which was a region of collagenlike fibers. Multiplication of the paras ite occurred by way of both a schizogonic phase and by a sporulation p hase. Schizonts divided either directly or with the intervention of pa ucinucleate plasmodia into additional schizonts. At some point, plasmo dia developed (with an increase in size and number of nuclei) into spo rogonial plasmodia with typically 16 nuclei. Sporegonial plasmodia ela borated an interfacial envelope within which they underwent sporogony. Sporophorous vesicles normally contained 16 spores but also 8 and rar ely 32 spores were formed, Spores were elongate ovoid (sometimes sligh tly curved) and measured 8.3 by 3.8 mu m (fresh) and 6.9 by 4.2 mu m ( fixed). Based on the development of the microsporidium and the feature s of the xenoparasitic complex, a new species and genus Johenrea locus tae n.g., n.sp. is proposed. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.