Gregarines (Apicomplexa, Gregarinasina) in psocids (Insecta, Psocoptera) including a new species description and their potential use as pest control agents

Devetak, Du�an; Rueckert, Sonja; Devetak, Dusan

Abstract

Gregarine apicomplexans are unicellular organisms that infect invertebrate hosts in marine, freshwater and terrestrial habitats. The largest group of invertebrates infested on land is the insects. The insect order Psocoptera (booklice) has recently gained wider interest due to specimens occurring in stored food products and therefore being considered pest organisms. Biological control agents are often used to eliminate pest organisms. In this study we examined the psocid Dorypteryx domestica, an invasive psocid species that is spreading all over the world. We were able to isolate and describe a new gregarine species (Enterocystis dorypterygis sp. n.) infecting D. domestica. The trophozoites are panduri- or pyriform and their association/syzygy is caudo-frontal. The surface is inscribed by longitudinal epicytic folds covering the complete cell. Phylogenetic analyses of the SSU rDNA gene revealed an only weakly supported relationship with two Gregarina species G. ormieri and G. basiconstrictonea, both from tenebrionid beetles. Gregarines have been proposed to have some potential as biological control agents for several insects. Identifying the gregarine species infecting pest organisms like psocids is a first step and prerequisite for the probable utilization of these parasites as biological control agents in the future.

Citation

Devetak, D., Rueckert, S., & Devetak, D. (2017). Gregarines (Apicomplexa, Gregarinasina) in psocids (Insecta, Psocoptera) including a new species description and their potential use as pest control agents. European Journal of Protistology, 60, 60-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejop.2017.05.007

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 16, 2017
• Online Publication Date: May 31, 2017
• Publication Date: 2017-08
• Deposit Date: May 17, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 1, 2018
• Journal: European Journal of Protistology
• Print ISSN: 0932-4739
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 60
• Pages: 60-67
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejop.2017.05.007
• Keywords: Microbiology
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/847138
• Contract Date: May 17, 2017