CHAPTER TEN 

 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 



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 nonpansporoblast membrane-bounded (NMB) spores 

 and the other producing octets of spores bounded by a pansporo- 

 blast membrane (MB). Jouvenaz and Hazard described this 

 microsporidium as a dimorphic species on the basis of light 

 microscope studies of the life cycle. They were unable 

 to separate the two spore types, and therefore could not 

 confirm by feeding tests that B. dimorpha is a single species. 

 Neither, of course, could they determine which or if both 

 spore types are infective. Also, the degree of host-speci- 

 ficity of the parasite was unknown. Three species of Solenopsis 

 other than S^. geminata were shown to be susceptible to infection, 

 but later observations cast doubt on the ability of the 

 parasite to persist in populations of these species. 



Fire ant pupae infected by B. dimorpha develop pathogno- 

 monic signs- -malformation of the eyes and blister-like clear 

 areas in the occiput and petiole. These signs increase 

 in severity as the infection becomes more advanced, and 



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