GENERATION TIME OF THE MICROSPORIDIAN OCTOSPOREA MUSCAEDOMESTICAE FLU IN ADULT PHORMIA REGINA (MEIGEN) (DIPTERA, CALLIPHORIDAE).

Abstract

Smears and sections of proximal intestines of imaginal Phormia regina (Meigen) that had ingested spores of Octosporea muscaedomesticaeFlu were made after one hour and at four-hour intervals for 96 hours following inoculation. A study of these tissue preparations revealed the following: at 23–27°C, uninterrupted schizogony extends to 64 hours. Some early sporogonic stages are found by 68 hours. By 72 hours some mature spores are formed. Between 72 and 96 hours, newly formed spores are present in the feces of infected flies; this was determined by counting the number of spores present in fecal spots collected at 24-hour intervals.