HIRMOCYSTIS PALORUSII SP-N, A NEW SPECIES OF SEPTATE GREGARINE FROM PALORUS-RATZEBURGII (COLEOPTERA, TENEBRIONIDAE)

A new cephaline gregarine belonging to the genus Hirmocystis, H. palorusii sp. n., from a stored grain pest, Palorus ratzeburgii (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is described. The epimerite is simple stalkless globule, fresh measures (in mu m): (n = 30), length = 7.3, SE +/- 0.4, CV% = 33.8, width = 6.6, SE +/- 0.4, CV% = 34.8; fixed and stained (n = 30): length = 7.1, SE +/- 0.45, CV% = 35.07, width = 6.0, SE +/- 0.38, CV% = 34.98. Sporadin is solitary as well as biassociative with hemispherical protomerite and massive deutomerite. The sporadin measures, fresh (n = 30): length = 54.8, SE +/- 4.2, CV% = 41.6); fixed and stained (n = 30): length = 54.4, SE +/- 4.1, CV% = 41.9; width = 25.8, SE +/- 2.8, CV% = 60.85. Caudo-frontal association. Ovoidal gametocysts (n = 30): length = 42.4, SE f 0.8, CV% = 11.3; width = 53.85, SE +/- 1.09, CV% = 11.14) and spherical spores (n = 150) diameter = 4.2, SE +/- O.02, CV% = 4.3). The ratio of LP:TL and WP:WD is 1:5.2 and 1:1.4 respectively.