Leidyana phryganidiae and Leidyana berkeleyi: Two new species of gregarines from Phryganidia californica

Larvae of the California oakworm, Phryganidia californica, collected in August 1958 in Orcutt, California, were infected by two eugregarines, Leidyana phryganidiae n. sp. and L. berkeleyi n. sp. Both gregarines inhabit the intestine of larvae, and their sporonts are solitary. The maximum length of sporonts of L. phryganidiae is 633 μm; the ratio of length of protomerite to total length (LP:TL) ranges between 1:6.6 and 1:9.6, and the ratio of width of protomerite to width of deutomerite (WP:WD) ranges between 1:1.3 and 1:2.2. The protomerite is conical, longer than wide, and the deutomerite tapers sharply to a point. The maximum length of sporonts of L. berkeleyi is 422 μm; the ratio LP:TL ranges between 1:4.6 and 1:11.2 and WP:WD between 1:0.9 and 1:2.1. The protomerite is hemispherical, and the deutomerite is cylindrical. This is the first record of eugregarine infection in a phytophagous lepidopteran.     

Differential inhibitory effects of MIF-1, Tyr-MIF-1, naloxone and beta-funaltrexamine on body rotation-induced analgesia in the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus

The effects of body rotation in a horizontal plane and various opiate antagonists on the nociceptive responses of a day-active microtine rodent, the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus, were examined. Intermittent rotation (70 rpm, schedule of 30 sec on, 30 sec off) for 30 min induced significant analgesic responses in the voles for 15 min after rotation. These increases in thermal response latency were blocked by intraperitoneal pretreatment with either naloxone or the irreversible mu opiate receptor antagonist beta-funaltrexamine (beta-FNA; 10 mg/kg; 24 hr pretreatment). This antagonistic effect of beta-FNA indicates mu opioid involvement in the mediation of rotation-induced analgesia. The antiopiate peptides MIF-1 (Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2) and Tyr-MIF-1 also significantly reduced, though did not completely block, body rotation-induced opiate analgesia. This suggests that Tyr-MIF-1 and MIF-1 have significant antagonistic effects on mu opioid systems that are involved in the mediation of stress (rotation)-induced analgesia.     

Nosema meligethi I. & R. (Microsporida) in populations of meligethes spp. in Europe

Samples of rape blossom beetles, Meligethes spp., from 12 countries in Eastern and Western Europe were inspected for the occurrence of Nosema meligethi I. &R. infection. From most countries about a dozen samples and a few hundred beetles were inspected. A total of 13 910 individual beetles were checked under a compound microscope, and of these, 561 were found to be infected (4.03%). Despe careful examination, infection was not detectable in samples from the UK (1039 beetles inspected), Germany (694), Sweden (489), or Swzerland (280). One infected beetle was found among 444 beetles inspected from Austria, and one from Denmark (1/85). In contrast, the parase was found rather regularly in samples from Finland and from Eastern European countries. No obvious reason for this pattern of infection is known, but pesticide usage at or close to the sampling ses may play a role, because most samples from whichNosema was detected originated from areas where few pesticides are used. Spore size measurements were made from seven N. meligethi isolates, and they appeared relatively uniform. appears that artificial spread of the disease might be worthwhile in an effort towards the integrated control of M. aeneus F.