PBOTEOSOMA. 



251 



large schizont reaches nearly a quarter the size of a red cell. 

 Stamed by Giemsa's stain the nucleus is bright red and the 

 cytoplasm deep blue ; some minute brownish-yellow pigment 

 granules can be seen in the latter. It is then said to become 

 free in the plasma, lose its pigment, assume a circular form, 

 and stain a pale blue, with the chromatin central in position. 

 This is called the "Acton body." The chromatin divides, 

 forming two, and later more numerous, nuclear masses, some 

 of which continue their further division, whilst others change 

 into chromidial dust. The "Acton body " grows, and eventually 

 aU the nuclei disappear, and in its interior no nucleus, 

 but only idio-chromidia, can be seen. This stage, called 

 the meroblast, gives origin directly to the merozoites {corps en 

 rosace of French authors, roseta of Portuguese authors). The 

 roseta breaks up, and the merozoites infect fresh red corpuslces. 



Sexual forms are seen in the peripheral blood. Gamete 

 formation, their structure and distinction into maJe and female 

 forms, as described by Acton and Knowles for Hsemoproteus 

 columhsR. Young gametes can be recognized as male or female 

 by their staining reaction, form, situation and arrangement 

 of chromatin, and the quantity and size of pigment granules. 

 Gametes are halter- shaped, and embrace the nucleus of the 

 infected blood- corpuscle. 



Habitat. — Blood of Columha sp. : Portuguese India, Nova 

 Goa. 



214. Proteosoma gaUinulse (de MeUo). (Fig. 129.) 



■\ Plasmodium, gallinulse, de Mello, 1935 a, pp. 352-3, pi. xlii, fig. 3 ; 

 de Mello, 1937 a, p. 98. 



Young ring-forms very regular. Full-grown trophozoites 

 larger in size and oval in form. Large amoeboid trophozoite 

 provided with brownish-black pigment set free by the bursting 

 of the corpuscle. Gametocytes show a clear sexual dimorphism. 

 Male gametocytes are roundish or oval, alveolar ; nucleus 



D E F (5 



Fig. 129. — Proteosoma gallinulse (de Mello). A, ring-form ; B, fuU- 

 grown trophozoite ; C, free amoeboid trophozoite ; D, E, 

 male gametocytes ; F, G, female gametocytes. (After 

 de Mello.) 



