GAMETOGENESIS, ZYGOTE AND OOKINETE OF SOME SPECIES OF BIRDS HEMOPROTEIDS (HAEMOSPORIDIA, HAEMOPROTEIDAE) FORMATION INVITRO

Observations were made through examination of thin blood films which w ere prepared at appropriate intervals from citrated fresh blood of inf ected birds. The comparative description of gametogenesis, zygote and ookinete formation of Haemoproteus tartakovskyi, H. belopolskyi, H. fr ingillae, H. pallidus under the light microscope is given for the firs t time. This process has a general pattern for all investigated haemop roteid species. It is shown that macrogametocyte has been transformed directly to macrogamete without forming a residual body, as it was not ed by Desser (1972) for H. (=Parahaemoproteus) velans. The most inform ative signs, which can be used for haemoproteid systematics, were dete rmined. Among them microgamete length, zygote structure, morphological features of developing ookinete as well as the rate of ookinete forma tion can be pointed out first of all. H. pallidus microgametes are twi ce shorter than H. tartakovskyi, H. belopolskyi, H. fringillae ones. A large clear vacuole is formed in zygote of H. fringillae only. The ma jority of diagnostic features has the developing ookinetes. On the bas is of ookinetes morphology the investigated species of haemoproteids c an be determined easily. There were clear differences between haemopro teid species on the rate of ookinete formation, The ookinetes of H. be lopolskyi and H. fringillae are, formed for about 12 times more slowly than H. pallidus ones, and for about 6 times more rapidly than H. tar takovskyi ones. The peculiarities of gametogenesis, zygote and ookinet e formation under the stable conditions in vitro can be used as useful l additional signs for determination of haemoproteid species.