LEUCOCYTOZOON LOVATl 



435 



different parasites confused under the term Leucocytozoon, and their life- 

 histories may be different, as Fantham's work, presently to be described, is 

 opposed to Schaudinn's work. 



Leucocytozoon lovati Sambon and Seligmann, 1907. 



This leucocytozoon was discovered by Sambon and Seligmann in the red 

 grouse [Lagopus scoticus), and has been recently restudied by Fantham. 

 The microgametocy te and macrogametocyte are depicted in Figs. 119 and 120 

 on p. 432, and were till recently the only forms known, but Fantham has now 

 found the schizonts, and described the process of schizogony. 



Sporogony. — The microgametocy tes measure 1 3 to 1 7 in length by 6 to 1 2 fz 

 in breadth, and possess hyaline pale staining cytoplasm with a large, rather 

 granular nucleus. The macrogametocyte measures 14 to 20 in length by 

 10 to 16 ^ in breadth, and has a granular somewhat alveolar cytoplasm with 

 a central nucleus with a karyosome. Their further development is unknown, 

 but Fantham has found vermicules in Ornithomyia lagopodis, the grouse-fly, 

 which may be the agent of transmission. 



Schizogony. — The schizont is found in the spleen in cells which they almost 

 fill and absorb, and which they do not elongate in the way in which the game- 

 tocytes deform their host cells. The schizont measures 1 1 to 14 ^ by 8 to 11^, 

 and is therefore of an oval shape, with a nucleus resembling that of the micro- 

 gametocyte, and a cytoplasm like that of the macrogametocyte. 



The nucleus divides by rapid binary fission into some 12 to 20 small nuclei 

 and then the cytoplasm divides, giving rise to 12 to 20 merozoites, which are 

 small vermicules measuring 7 to 8 ^ by i to 1-5 ^. There is some residual 

 cytoplasm after division. The merozoites now escape from the parasite and 

 cell, and for a very brief period become free, swimming in the liquor san- 

 guinis, and then quickly re-enter leucocytes or immature erythrocytes, and 

 ultimately differentiate into gametocytes or schizonts. 



Remarks. — This process of schizogony may explain the periodical increase in 

 the gametocytes in the blood noted by Mathis and Leger in L. caulleryi in 

 Tonkin. Fantham very carefully points out that the above life-history may 

 not take place in all Leucocytozoidae, but, notwithstanding this, Fantham's 

 results do not support Schaudinn's researches. 



Species. — Some of the species described are: Leucocytozoon majoris Laveran, 

 1902, in the great tit {Parus major) : L. sakharofii Sambon, 1908, in the raven 

 {Covvus corax) ; L. herestneffi Sambon, 1908, in the magpie [Pica pica) ; L. dani- 

 lewskyi Ziemann, 1898, in the little owl [Athene noctuce) ; L. toddi Sambon, 1907, 

 in the Congo grey hawk [Asturinula monogrammica) ; L. mansoni Sambon, 1908, 

 in the capercailzie [Tetrao urogallus) ; L. lovati Sambon and Seligmann, in the 

 red grouse [Lagopus scoticus); L. macleani Sambon, 1908, in the common 

 pheasant [Phasianus colchicus) ; L. smithi Laveran and Lucet, 1905, in the 

 domestic turkey [Meleagris gallopavo domestica) ; L. neavi Balfour, 1906, in the 

 Abyssinian guinea-fowl [Numidia ptilorhynca) ; L. caulleryi Mathis and Leger, 

 19TI, L. sahrazesi in Gallus ferrugineus ; L. martini Mathis and Leger in Pavo 

 cristatus ; L. marchouxi Mathis a.nd Leger in Turtur humilis, and L. lehceup 

 Mathis and Leger in Querquedula crecca. 



Spiroehaetacea Fantham, 1908. 



Synonyms,-— Proflagellata Dofieiii; Spiroschaudinnidce Sambon, 

 1907; Spiroflagellata Krzysztalowicz and Siedlecki, 1907. 



Definition. — Plasmodromata, generally parasitic, in form narrow, 

 Wavy, and thread-like, with or without an undulating membrane. 

 The cytoplasm is divided into endoplasm and ectoplasm, and is 

 bounded by a flexible, chitinous periplast. The nucleus consists of 

 a spiral achromatic filament, on which are arranged transverse bars 

 or rodlets of deeply staining chromatin. 



