cysts, the spores occur in octets bounded by a membrane 

 (pansporoblast membrane). The infection is not rapidly 

 fatal, but destruction of the fat body occurs which results 

 in premature death of adult ants. Consequently, colonies 

 are debilitated (Knell et al., 1977). Attempts to transmit 

 T. solenopsae to healthy colonies in the laboratory have 

 failed, and the mode of transmission of this parasite is 

 unknown (Jouvenaz et al., 1981). 



Burenella Dimorpha 



Burenella dimorpha was described by Jouvenaz and Hazard 

 (1978) as the type species of a new genus which represents 

 a new family, Burenellidae. This family includes those 

 species of microsporidia having two sporogonic sequences, 

 one producing non-pansporoblas t membrane-bounded (NtlB) 

 spores from disporous sporonts, and the other producing 

 octets of spores bounded by a pansporoblast membrane (MB) . 

 Hazard et al. (1981) listed three additional genera as 

 members of Burenellidae: Culi oospore 11a Weiser and Hazardia 

 Weiser (monotypic genera parasitic in mosquitoes) and 

 Vairimorpha Pilley (parasitic in a variety of Lepidoptera) . 

 Certain genera of the family Thelohaniidae Hazard and Oldacre 

 also have dimorphic (producing two morphologically distinct 

 types of spores) species; however, their NMB spores arise 

 from Plasmodia rather than disporous sporonts. 



Little is known of the pathobiology of B. dimo rpha beyond 

 those minimal aspects of spore morphology and life cycle 



