Richard Clopton

Peru State College · Department of Natural Science

Gregarina lutescens n. sp. is described from the alimentary canal of the harlequin ladybird or multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) collected from prairie fleabane, Erigeron strigosus, at Peru State College, Peru, Nemaha Co., Nebraska. Our specimens differ from all 11 known species of Gregarina infecting coc...

Herein, we reaffirm the validity of Coronoepimeritus and its junior synonym, Quadruspinospora, provide new combinations for existing species of Quadruspinospora, recognize Monospinospora n. gen. to receive Coronoepimeritus monospinus, and describe Coronoepimeritus otoensis n. sp. from the alimentary canal of the admirable grasshopper, Syrbula admir...

Gregarine transmission depends upon the environmental encounter rate between viable infective oocysts and suitable hosts. Many factors determine the abundance and distribution of gregarine oocysts in the environment, but the primary factors are oocyst distribution, environmental persistence, and production rate. Prior studies have demonstrated fact...

This chapter discusses a number of gregarines parasitic in various arthropods. Careful attention was devoted to the biology of the forms studied and extended experiments were conducted on life-history problems. Especial attention is called here to the observations on movement in gregarines and on cyst formation. Polycystid gregarines inhabit chiefl...

For apicomplexan parasites using an oral-fecal transmission route with significant environmental exposure, the environmental persistence and infectivity of the oocyst has a direct impact on local infection dynamics, including the ability to withstand extended periods without readily available hosts. Herein we quantify the environmental persistence...

Abiotic environmental conditions, especially temperature and humidity, have profound effects on the growth and development of gregarines but these effects remain largely undocumented. Quantifying the effects of environmental conditions on the growth and development of exogenous gregarine ontogenetic stages is an important first step in understandin...

Abstract Tomaculocystis corpulenta n. gen., n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinorida: Septatorina: Gregarinidae) is described from populations of the little yellow cockroach, Cariblatta lutea (Blattodea: Ectobiidae), established in laboratory culture from samples collected in Alabama and Florida. Tomaculocystis n. gen. are differentiated from other mem...

Protomagalhaensia vipera n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Blabericolidae) is described from the orange-headed cockroach, Eublaberus posticus (Dictyoptera: Blattaria: Blaberidae: Blaberinae). The oocysts of P. vipera bear extended polar plates or apical corner spines similar to those of Protomagalhaensia granulosae, Protomagalhaensia wolfi, and P...

Abstract ABSTRACT: Blabericola rhyparobiae n. comb. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Blabericolidae) is redescribed from the Madeira Cockroach, Rhyparobia maderae (Dictyoptera: Blaberidae: Oxyhaloinae: Nauphoetini). Oocysts within the genus are typically dolioform with non-projecting polar plates. Those of B. rhyparobiae differ from all other species o...

Abstract Protomagalhaensia richardsoni n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Blabericolidae) is described from the giant lobster cockroach, Henschoutedenia flexivitta (Dictyoptera: Blattaria: Blaberidae: Oxyhaloinae: Nauphoetini). Oocysts within the genus are dolioform with polar plates. Those of Protomagalhaensia granulosae, Protomagalhaensia wolfi,...

Gregarines (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinorida) are relatively large protozoan parasites of the guts and body cavities of invertebrates including annelids, tunicates, sipunculids, and especially arthropods. The knowledge of their occurrence in insects is poor; gregarines have been reported from less than one percent of named insect species. Between Augus...

Protomagalhaensia granulosae Peregrine, 1970, is redescribed from the type host, the discoid cockroach, Blaberus discoidalis. Complete morphometric data on all life cycle stages is presented, and P. granulosae is distinguished from other species in the genus and stabilized with the deposition of new voucher specimen material. Species of Protomagalh...

Abstract : An experimental excystation assay was used to test the potential species isolating effects of excystation signaling among gregarines. Oocysts of a single gregarine species, Blabericola migrator , were tested for activation, excystation, and sporozoite motility by using intestinal extracts from 11 species of cockroaches representing a coh...

Gametocytogenesis was induced in mature associations of Protomagalhaensia wolfi and Protomagalhaensia blaberae maintained in vitro by inclusion of metronidazole in the culture medium. The response was neither strictly dosage dependent nor uniform across gregarine species. We hypothesize that metronidazole induces gregarine gametocytogenesis by disr...

Complete synoptic redescriptions, including complete morphometric data for all life cycle stages, species recognition characters, and differential comparisons are presented for the 4 gregarine species comprising Blabericola . Blabericola cubensis ( Peregrine, 1970 ), Blabericola haasi (Geus, 1969), Blabericola migrator ( Clopton, 1995 ), and Blaber...

Gregarine host specificity has been the cornerstone of gregarine taxonomy for nearly a century. Several laboratory experiments have accepted strict host specificity by failure to cross-infect distantly related hosts with unrelated gregarine species. These empirical studies are not feasible for all gregarine hosts, especially nondomesticated groups....

Neoasterophora megasilvestrensis n. gen., n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Actinocephalidae: Pileocephalinae) is described from the larvae of the little sister sedge caddisfly, Chenmatopsyche analis (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) collected from Harmon Creek, Sam Houston State University Center for Biological Field Studies, Walker County, Texas, U...

Two new species of Nubenocephalus (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Actinocephalidae) are described from adult damselflies sampled in Cayo District, Belize, Central America. Nubenocephalus nickoli n. sp. is described from the American Rubyspot damselfly, Hetaerina americana, and the Smoky Rubyspot damselfly, Hetaerina titia (Odonata: Zygoptera: Hetaerin...

Protomagalhaensia cerastes n. sp. is described from nymphs and adults of the Pallid cockroach, Phoetalia pallida. Gamonts of Protomagalhaensia species are elongate and serpentine in general shape, but associated gamonts of P. cerastes are considerably smaller than those of other species of Protomagalhaensia. Primites and satellites of P. cerastes a...

A phylogenetic hypothesis was constructed with the use of ssu rDNA sequence data from 27 eugregarine species parasitizing a variety of arthropod hosts and habitats. The data were used to address higher-level character transitions, identify clades, recognize supraspecific taxonomic groups, assess the existing gregarine classification, and assess the...

Gyrinids were collected from lotic and lentic sites in the Texas Big Thicket, where species frequently exhibited aggregation. Aggregations consisted of two or more species, and some aggregations had species representing up to three genera: Dineutus MacLeay, Gyretes Brullé and Gyrinus Müller. The composition of these aggregations is described along...

Geneiorhynchus manifestus n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) is described from the naiads of Anax junius (Odonata: Aeshnidae) collected from the Big Sandy Creek Unit of the Big Thicket National Preserve, Polk County, Texas, U.S.A. The genus Geneiorhynchus is revised and its constituent species reviewed. Descriptions are provided for 2 previously n...

Trichurispora wellgundis n. g., n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Hirmocystidae) is described from the adults of the water scavenger beetle Tropisternus collaris (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) collected from B A Steinhagen Lake in the Cherokee Unit of the Big Thicket National Preserve, Tyler County, Texas, U.S.A. Trichurispora is distinguished from...

Calyxocephalus karyopera g. nov., sp. nov. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinorida: Actinocephalidae: Actinocephalinae) is described from the Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly Calopteryx maculata (Odonata: Zygoptera: Calopteryigidae) collected along Turkey Creek in Johnson County, Nebraska, U.S.A. Calyxocephalus gen. n. is distinguished by the form of the epimerite...

Gregarina tropica n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinorida) is described from the brown-winged earwig, Vostox brunneipennis (Dermaptera: Labiidae) collected from the Turkey Creek Unit, Big Thicket National Preserve, Tyler County, Texas, U.S.A. We review the morphometric data and nomenclatural status of the 8 previously described species of Gregarina in...

Protomagalhaensia wolfi n. comb. and Leidyana haasi n. comb. were originally described as species of Gregarina parasitizing the lobster cockroach, Nauphoeta cinerea, in east Africa. Gamonts of Protomagalhaensia species are elongate and serpentine in general shape. Species within the genus are differentiated primarily by epimerite and oocyst morphol...

Nubenocephalus secundus n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) is described from adults of Argia sedula (Odonata: Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae) collected from Harmon Creek, Sam Houston State University Center for Biological Field Studies, Walker County, Texas, U.S.A. This is the second species described in the genus and confirms the generic hypothesis of...

The effects of temperature change on phospholipid content in metacercariae of Posthodiplostomum minimum and their second intermediate hosts, Lepomis macrochirus, were examined to gauge similarities in the homeoviscous adaptation of host and parasite membranes to environmental thermal change. Heart, liver, and muscle tissues from individual L. macro...

Xiphocephalus triplogemmatus n. sp. and Xiphocephalus quadratogemmatus n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) are described from Eleodes tricostata and Eleodes fusiformis (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), respectively, collected from Keith County in the sandhills of western Nebraska. Gamonts can be diagnosed with some confidence based on relative size and...

Stictospora villani n. sp. is described from larvae of the Japanese beetle Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from southern Michigan. Stictospora villani is distinguished from known species of the genus by differences in gamont size and by structural details of the epimerite. In general, S. villani is smaller than other known species of t...

Current practice in gregarine (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinorida) taxonomy does not include a standard nomenclature and metric set for plane shapes even though most taxonomic works within the group depend on shape-based descriptions. The lack of a uniform shape nomenclature and metric set has produced considerable confusion in gregarine systematics: des...

Naiadocystis phykoterion n. gen., n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Hirmocystidae), is described from the Mexican pygmy grasshopper, Paratettix mexicanus (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae), collected from sandbars along Harmon Creek, Walker County, Texas, in the western edge of the Texas Big Thicket. Naiadocystis n. gen. is distinguished by the form of the...

Gregarines are parasites common in insects, especially in culture. No effective chemotherapeutic or chemoprophylactic control protocol exists, but sulfadime- thoxine has targeted effects on sporozoites and trophozoites. Efficacies of metronidazole and potassium sorbate were independently administered in 5-d regimens to evaluate their efficacy as ch...

Gregarines are thought to be deep-branching apicomplexans. Accordingly, a robust inference of gregarine phylogeny is crucial to any interpretation of apicomplexan evolution, but molecular sequences from gregarines are restricted to a small number of small-subunit (SSU) rDNA sequences from derived taxa. This work examines the usefulness of SSU rDNA...

Clitellocephalus americanus n. gen., n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Gregarinidae) is described from Cratacanthus dubius (Coleoptera: Carabidae) collected from Keith County in the Sandhills of western Nebraska. Clitellocephalus ophoni n. comb. is redescribed using original type material from Ophonus pubescens (Coleoptera: Carabidae) collected i...

Gregarines are common parasites of insects in culture, but no effective chemotherapeutic or prophylactic control protocol has been demonstrated. Sulfadimethoxine was administered in 5- and 7-day treatments to Death's Head cockroaches (Blaberus discoidalis) infected with Gregarina cubensis and Protomagalhaensia granulosae to test the efficacy of thi...

Clitellocephalus americanus n. gen., n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Gregarinidae) is described from Cratacanthus dubius (Coleoptera: Carabidae) collected from Keith County in the Sandhills of western Nebraska. Clitellocephalus ophoni n. comb, is redescribed using original type material from Ophonus pubescens (Coleoptera: Carabidae) collected i...

Gregarines are common parasites of insects in culture, but no effective chemotherapeutic or prophylactic control protocol has been demonstrated. Sulfadimethoxine was administered in 5- and 7-day treatments to Death's Head cockroaches (Blaberus discoidalis) infected with Gregarina cubensis and Protomagalhaensia granulosae to test the efficacy of thi...

The host-parasite interface between 2 species of damselflies and 4 species of eugregarines was examined at the ultrastructural level. Nubenocephalus nebraskensis organisms attached to the host midgut epithelium by means of a sucker-like protomerite; the space between the epicytic folds and host epithelium was filled with electron-dense material int...

Stylocephalus occidentalis n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) is described from Trimytis pruinosa (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) collected from Keith County in the Sandhills of western Nebraska. Measurements are means in micrometers. Developing trophozoites solitary; epimerite a complex of terminal epimerite and intercalating diamerite; epimerite sha...

Stylocephalus occidentalis n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) is described from Trimytis pruinosa (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) collected from Keith County in the Sandhills of western Nebraska. Measurements are means in micrometers. Developing trophozoites solitary; epimerite a complex of terminal epimerite and intercalating diamerite; epimerite sha...

Amoebogregarina nigra n. gen., nov. comb. (Eugregarinida: Gregarinidae) is described from trophozoites, gamonts, associations, gametocysts, and oocysts collected from adult Melanoplus differentialis (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in Nemaha County, Nebraska. Host alimentary canals were examined for eugregarine parasites. Gregarines encountered were fixed a...

Xiphocephalus is revised, clarifying diagnosis of the epimerite complex, gametocyst, and oocyst. Xiphocephalus ellisi n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) is described from Eleodes opacus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) collected from Keith County in the Sandhills of western Nebraska. Measurements are means in micrometers. Developing trophozoites solita...

Torogregarina is revised to clarify the nature of the epimerite-protomerite complex and the method of gametocyst dehiscence, removed from the family Gregarinidae, and placed among the Hirmocystidae. Torogregarina sphinx n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) is described from Bembidion laevigatum (Coleoptera: Carabidae) collected along the Missouri Ri...

The gregarine, Leidyana canadensis Clopton and Lucarotti was found infecting the guts of larvae in a declining population of the hemlock looper, Lambdina fiscellaria fiscellaria (Guenée), in Charlotte County, New Brunswick. Total mortality, in rearing, of field-collected larvae and pupae was 75.5% in 1993 and 89.2% in 1994. Leidyana canadensis infe...

Population and community descriptor values (parasites per host, prevalence per parasite species, variance/mean ratios, species density, and diversity indices) for the 7-species parasite community of 61 relatively homogeneous samples of Fundulus zebrinus (Pisces: Cyprinodontidae) in the South Platte River of Nebraska, U.S.A., taken over a 14-yr peri...

Leidyana canadensis n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) is described from larvae of the eastern hemlock looper, Lambdina fiscellaria (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) collected near St. Stephen, Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada. Gamonts solitary, located between host ventricular peritrophic membrane and ventricular epithelium. Protomerite very broa...

Leidyana migrator n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) is described from the alimentary tract of the Madagascar hissing cockroach. Gromphadorhina portentosa (Insecta: Blattodea), taken from research colonies in Texas. This is the first species of Leidyana described from a cockroach, and the complete life cycle and development are presented. Although...

The host specificity of Gregarina blattarum was evaluated among five species of domiciliary cockroaches: Blatella germanica, Supella longipalpa, Blatta orientalis, Periplaneta americana, and Periplaneta fuliginosa. Third- and fourth-instar nymphs were allowed to feed on crushed dog kibble contaminated with G. blattarum oocysts. Cockroaches were kil...

New techniques and protocols for the field collection and preservation of spirorchiid trematodes and polystomatid monogeneans are delineated for inclusion in existing postmortem examination protocols for the parasites of turtles. Spirorchiid trematodes are collected in body and organ washes of citrated saline solution concentrated by sedimentation...

The mechanisms that signal gregarine excystation are unknown. Previous authors have demonstrated that gregarine sporozoites excyst from their surrounding oocyst in response to stimuli contained in host digestive fluids, but the role of host intestinal pH in this signaling system has not been investigated. In this study, an in vitro assay is used to...

Hoplorhynchus acanthatholius, n. sp. is described from Enallagma civile, the Civil Bluet damselfly. Trophozoites are solitary, lie in the mesenteron between the peritrophic membrane and the epithelium, and attain a maximum length of 850 μm. Epimerite ovoid to broadly ovoid; anterior margin bearing eight equidistant retroarcuate hooks; attached to p...

Domadracunculus janovyi n gen., n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Actinocephalidae) is described from trophozoites, gamonts, and oocysts collected from adult Ischnura verticalis (Odonata: Zygoptera) in Brazos County, Texas. Oocysts of the new species are axially asymmetric, smooth, and crescentic, features that unite the taxon with the Menosporinae. The new gen...

A multiple-kind lottery model is presented for use in determining whether species density distributions in parasite species assemblages reveal regularly occurring species-to-species interactions. The model utilizes a recurrence vector algorithm to rapidly calculate expected frequencies of species per host classes in such assemblages. These calculat...

Salsuginus yutanensis occurs on the gills of the plains topminnow Fundulus sciadicus Cope. The fish of this species have been found to vary morphologically and biochemically among disjunct populations. Morphological characteristics of the sclerotized parts of S. yutanensis were examined from 3 localities in Nebraska, over a 2-yr collecting period....

The exogenous developmental niche spaces of Gregarina cuneata and Gregarina polymorpha, parasites restricted to larval Tenebrio molitor, and Gregarina niphandrodes, a parasite restricted to adult T. molitor, were determined along temperature and humidity axes and associated with parasite niche space on the host resource axis. Gregarine gametocysts...

Nubenocephalus nebraskensis n. gen., n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Actinocephalidae) is described from trophozoites, sporonts, gamonts, and oocysts collected from adult Argia bipunctulata (Odonata: Zygoptera). The new genus is distinguished from existing acanthosporine genera by elongate dodecahedral oocysts, without equatorial faces, that are hexagonal in...

Microclimatic and vegetative effects on the population size and activity patterns of larval Eutrombicula alfreddugesi Oudemans, 1910 (Acari: Trombiculidae), were investigated in Nebraska between latitude 40 degrees 0'0" N and 40 degrees 1'21" N. Larval population densities along a forest edge were greatest in areas of high relative humidity, modera...

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Nebraska--Lincoln, 1993. Includes bibliographical references.

Larvae of the pest chigger mite Eutrombicula alfreddugesi Oudemans, 1910, exhibited a low repellent threshold for N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (deet) in a field setting. Use of a deet-based repellent significantly reduced chigger mite infestation. Efficacy of aerosol formulations was significantly diminished with 9% (AI) deet. E. alfreddugesi util...

Parasite species assemblages currently are thought to range from isolationist to interactive, their dynamic properties being related to the number of species and types of hosts involved. The literature contains few experimental tests of this concept, however, and many of the host/parasite systems studied to date are not amenable to experimental man...

Reciprocal cross-stadia experimental infections were used to demonstrate stadium specificity within the gregarine assemblage parasitizing Tenebrio molitor, the yellow mealworm. Gregarina cuneata, Gregarina polymorpha, and Gregarina steini are characteristic parasites of larval T. molitor. Gregarina niphandrodes is a characteristic parasite of adult...

Gregarina coronata n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) is described from the adults of the Southern Corn Root Worm, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Measurements given are means, in micrometers, taken from mature gamonts in association. Primite: protomerite hemi-ellipsoidal with basal tumidus, length 47.6, width 44.0,...

Gregarina niphandrodes, a new species of septate eugregarine, is described from the adult mealworm, Tenebrio molitor. Measurements given are means in μm. Gamonts in association. Nuclear diameter consistent, 35.5. Primite: protomerite hemispherical; length 59.5; width 91.2; deutomerite ovoid; length 173.4; width 145.6; total length 232.9. Length of...

The tribe Scaritini includes 18 Nebraska species in five genera. Keys are provided for the genera and the species. Descriptions and distributions are delineated. lllustrations clarify key characters for all genera and 12 species. Faunal distribution maps are provided for the six most widespread species.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Nebraska--Lincoln, 1989. Includes bibliographical references.