Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T18:37:10.607Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

An histological and ultrastructural study of Thelohania contejeani Henneguy, 1892 (Nosematidae), Microsporidian parasite of the crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes Lereboullet

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

A. R. Cossins
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Durham, Durham City, DH1 3LE, U.K.
K. Bowler
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Durham, Durham City, DH1 3LE, U.K.

Extract

An outbreak of the Microsporidian parasite Thelohania contejeani is reported in a population of Austropotamobius pallipes in Northumberland, U.K. Since less than 10% of all crayfish caught were infected it is concluded that T. contejeani has no serious effect on the population studied. The mode of transmission of the parasite from host to host is discussed.

The host–parasite relationship and life-cycle of T. contejeani were studied using histological and electron microscope techniques. Spores were observed in some detail, and diplocarya, sporont and pansporoblast stages were identified within the general spore mass that invades host muscle tissue. Using serial sections the sporoblast ‘diplocaryon’ was shown to be a single nucleus with a deep cleft. T. contejeani was found to occur mainly in striated muscle, although it was found in cell bodies in the central nervous system.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1974

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Brandt, P. W., Reuben, J. P., Guardier, L. & Grundfest, H. (1965). Correlated morphological and physiological studies on isolated muscle fibres. I. Fine structure of the crayfish muscle fibre. Journal of Cell Biology 25, 233.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cossins, A. R. (1973). Thelohania contejeani Henneguy, Microsporidian parasite of Astacus pallipes Lereboullet – an histological and ultrastructural study. Freshwater Crayfish. Proceedings of the 1st International Symposium on Freshwater Crayfish (ed. Abrahamsson, S.), pp. 151–64. Lund: Studentlitteratur.Google Scholar
Debaisieux, P. (1920). Études sur les Microsporidies. IV. Glugea anomala Monz. Cellule 30, 217–43.Google Scholar
Dollfus, R. P. (1935). Thélohanose de l'écrivisse (Astacus pallipes, Lereboullet), à Richelieu (Indre-et-Loire). Bulletin Société Central d'Aquires 42 (10–12), 119–22.Google Scholar
Ewen, A. B. (1962). An improved aldehyde fuchsin staining technique for neurosecretory products in insects. Transcripts of the American Microscopical Society 81, 94–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Henneguy, F. & Thélohan, P. (1892). Myxosporidies parasites des muscles chez quelques crustacés decapodes. Annales de Micrographie 4, 617–41.Google Scholar
Huger, A. (1960). Electron microscope study on the cytology of a Microsporidian spore by means of ultrathin sectioning. Journal of Insect Pathology 2, 84105.Google Scholar
Jensen, H. M. & Wellings, S. R. (1972). Development of the polar filament – polaroplast complex in a Microsporidian parasite. Journal of Protozoology 19 (2), 297305.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kudo, R. R. (1924). A biologic and taxonomic study of the Microsporidia. Illinois Biological Monograph 9, 1268.Google Scholar
Kudo, R. R. & Daniels, E. W. (1963). An electron microscopic study of the spore of a Microsporidian, Thelohania californica. Journal of Protozoology 10 (1), 112–20.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lom, J. & Corliss, J. O. (1967). Ultrastructural observations on the development of the Microsporidian protozoon Plistophora hyphessobryconis Schäperclaus. Journal of Protozoology 14 (1), 141–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pixell Goodrich, H. (1956). Crayfish epidemics. Parasitology 46, 480–3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reynold, E. S. (1963). The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy. Journal of Cell Biology 17, 209–13.Google Scholar
Schäperclaus, W. (1954). Fischkrankheiten, 708 pp. Berlin: Akademie-Verlag.Google Scholar
Sprague, V. (1950). Thelohania cambari n.sp., a Microsporidian parasite of North American Crayfish. Journal of Parasitology 36 (6), 46.Google Scholar
Sprague, V., Vernick, S. H. & Lloyd, B. J. Jr (1968). The fine structure of Nosema sp. Sprague, 1965 (Microsporidia, Nosematidae) with particular reference to stages in sporogony. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 12, 105–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sprague, V. & Vernick, S. H. (1968). Light and electron microscope study of a new species of Glugea (Microsporidia, Nosematidae) in the 4-spined Stickleback Apeltus quadracus. Journal of Protozoology 15 (3), 547–71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sprague, V. & Vernick, S. H. (1969). Light and electron microscope observations on Nosema nelsoni Sprague, 1950 (Microsporidia, Nosematidae) with particular reference to its Golgi complex. Journal of Protozoology 16 (2), 264–71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sumari, O. & Westman, K. (1969). The crayfish parasite Thelohania contejeani Henneguy (Sporozoa, Microsporidia) found in Finland. Annales Zoologici Fennici 7, 193–4.Google Scholar
Svärdson, G. (1965). The American Crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus (Dana) introduced into Sweden. Reports of the Freshwater Research Institute, Drottningholm 46, 90–4.Google Scholar
Vavra, J. (1965). Étude au microscope électronique de la morphologie et du développement de quelques Microsporidies. Compte rendu hebdomadaire des séances de l'Académie des sciences, Paris 261, 3467–70.Google Scholar
Vey, A. & Vago, C. (1973). Protozoan and fungal diseases of Austropotamobius pallipes Lereboullet in France. Freshwater crayfish. Proc. 1st International Symposium on Freshwater Crayfish (ed. Abrahamsson, S.). Lund: Studentlitteratur.Google Scholar
Voronin, V. N. (1971). New data on microsporidiosis of the crayfish, Astacus astacus (L. 1758). Parazitologya 5, 186–91.Google Scholar