Urospora is a genus of apicomplexan gregarines.

Characteristics

Urospora is a genus of apicomplexans, protists that behave as intracellular parasites. Species of this genus are monocystid gregarines, found in the body cavity or tissues of their hosts: echinoderms, annelids, nemertines and mollusks. They present lateral or frontal syzygies. Their oocysts are heteropolar, with a thin appendage at one end and a transparent conical funnel at the other end. They reproduce through anisogametes, unequal gametes, liberated through the dehiscence of gametocysts by a simple rupture. The oocysts have a well-differentiated wall known as the 'epispore', 8 sporozoites. Each oocyst has an anterior neck and a marked posterior prolongation.

Species and hosts

Urospora contains the following species, listed next to their host and the tissue they parasitize:

U. chiridotae – blood vessels of sea cucumber Chiridota laevis. U. echinocardii – coelom of sea urchins Echinocardium and Spatangus. U. grassei – hemal sinus of sea cucumbers Holothuria tubulosa and H. stellati. U. hardyi – coelom of sipunculid worm Sipunculus nudus. U. holothuriae – blood vessels, coelom and intestine of sea cucumbers Holothuria tubulosa and H. stellati. U. intestinalis – intestine of sea cucumber Cucumaria japonica. U. lagidis – coelom of polychaete Lagis koreni. U. legeri – coelom of sipunculid worm Sipunculus nudus. U. longicauda – unknown location within polychaete Cirratulus filigerus. U. longissima – coelom of polychaete Dodecaria caulleryi. U. muelleri – coelom of sea cucumber Synapta digitata. U. nemertis – intestine of ribbon worm Nemertes delineatus. U. neopolitana – coelom of sea urchin Echinocardium cordatum. U. ovalis – coelom of sea urchin Echinocardium cordatum and polychaete Travisia forbesii. U. pulmonalis – gills of sea cucumber Cucumaria japonica. U. rhyacodrili – seminal vesicles and coelom of oligochaetes Rhyacodrilus coccineus and Tubifex albicola. U. schneideri – blood vessels and coelom of sea cucumbers Holothuria polii, H. impatiens, H. tubulosa and H. stellati. U. sipunculi – coelom of sipunculid worm Sipunculus nudus. U. synaptae – coelom of sea cucumbers Synapta digitata, Leptosynapta inhaerens and L. galliennei. U. travisiae – coelom of polychaete Travisia forbesi. U. tubificis – seminal vesicles and coelom of oligochaete Tubifex tubifex.

References