ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MEIOSPORES OF 6 NEW SPECIES OF AMBLYOSPORA (MICROSPORIDA, AMBLYOSPORIDAE) FROM NORTHERN AEDES (DIPTERA,CULICIDAE) MOSQUITOS

The ultrastructure of meiospores of six different species of Amblyospo ra found infecting larval mosquitoes of Aedes abserratus, Aedes aurife r, Aedes cinereus, Aedes excrucians, Aedes sticticus, and Aedes stimul ans are described. Meiospores of all species exhibited characteristics typical for the genus Amblyospora including: a single nucleus, a larg e posterior vacuole, a thick undulating exospore and thinner endospore , a bipartite and lamellate polaroplast with more tightly stacked memb ranes in the proximal region, and an anisofilar polar filament with di stal coils reduced in thickness. Distinct differences were found in th e arrangement and number/ratio of coils formed by the broad basal and narrow distal portions of the polar filament. These differences, when quantified and averaged, were unique from all other mosquito-parasitic species that have been examined ultrastructurally. Information on par asite development, natural field prevalence and transmission to suspec ted intermediate copepod hosts is presented. The creation of six new s pecies, Amblyospora abserrati, Amblyospora auriferi, Amblyospora ciner ei, Amblyospora excrucii, Amblyospora stictici, and Amblyospora stimul i is proposed. Synonymies and complete host lists of all forms and spe cies of Amblyospora described from mosquitoes are given.