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Population Dynamics of Herpetomonas ampelophilae , with a Note on the Systematics of Herpetomonas from Drosophila spp.
Author(s) -
ROWTON EDGAR D.,
McGHEE R. BARCLAY
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
the journal of protozoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 0022-3921
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1978.tb04402.x
Subject(s) - biology , drosophila melanogaster , melanogaster , population , malpighian tubule system , zoology , evolutionary biology , genetics , larva , ecology , gene , demography , sociology , midgut
SYNOPSIS Previous surveys of feral Drosophila melanogaster in Clarke County, Georgia, indicated 10 to 30% of the flies were parasitized with Herpetomonas ampelophilae. In the present study, herpetomoniasis in D. melanogaster reared in population cages rose from 0.01% to 90% in 14 days. The infection fluctuated between 5% and 100% during the 250 days in which the ageledeme was maintained. Herpetomonas were found endotrophically, peritrophically, and in the Malpighian tubules. In population cages, although there were sporadic rises in percentages, peritrophic and Malpighian tube infections usually remained low. Endotrophic infections often reached 100%, with individual flies being heavily parasitized. Although Chatton felt that several species of Herpetomonas inhabit a single species of Drosophila , we suggest that all the Herpetomonas in D. melanogaster be referred to as H. ampelophilae.