''Merogregarina'' is a genus of
parasitic alveolate in the
phylum
In biology, a phylum (; plural: phyla) is a level of classification or taxonomic rank below kingdom and above class. Traditionally, in botany the term division has been used instead of phylum, although the International Code of Nomenclature f ...
Apicomplexa. Species in this genus infect marine invertebrates.
Taxonomy
This species was described in 1908 by Porter.
[Porter (1908) A new Schizogregarine, ''Merogregarina amaroucii'' ''nov.gen''., ''nov. sp''., parasitic in the alimentary canal of the composite Ascidian, Amaroucium sp. (Prel. Comm.). Archives de Zoologie Paris (Ser 4) 9 (xliv-xlviii)]
There is one species in this genus - ''Merogregarina amaroucii''.
Description
The
trophozoites are found in the intestinal lumen. They measure 23-31
micron
The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Unit ...
s x 11-15 microns. They are initially ovoid and become vermiform as they mature. The single
nucleus
Nucleus ( : nuclei) is a Latin word for the seed inside a fruit. It most often refers to:
*Atomic nucleus, the very dense central region of an atom
*Cell nucleus, a central organelle of a eukaryotic cell, containing most of the cell's DNA
Nucle ...
lies at the anterior end and has one
nucleolus
The nucleolus (, plural: nucleoli ) is the largest structure in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. It is best known as the site of ribosome biogenesis, which is the synthesis of ribosomes. The nucleolus also participates in the formation of sig ...
.
The trophozoites develop in multinucleated
schizonts which give rise to 8-20
merozoite
Apicomplexans, a group of intracellular parasites, have life cycle stages that allow them to survive the wide variety of environments they are exposed to during their complex life cycle. Each stage in the life cycle of an apicomplexan organism is ...
s. The merozoites are 5-6 microns x 1 micron.
The
sporocysts give rise to eight
sporozoites.
Life cycle
This species is found in species of the ascidian genus ''
Amaroucium''.
The parasite infects the gastrointestinal tract and is presumably transmitted by the orofaecal route but the details of this mechanism are presently unknown.
Schizogony is intracellular.
References
Apicomplexa genera
Conoidasida
{{Apicomplexa-stub