Vetufebrus

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Vetufebrus
Temporal range: Burdigalian
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Vetufebras in Enischnomyia.jpg
Oocyts in Enischnomyia midgut
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Diaphoretickes
Clade: SAR
Clade: Alveolata
Phylum: Apicomplexa
Class: Aconoidasida
Order: Haemospororida
Family: Plasmodiidae
Genus:† Vetufebrus
Species:
†V. ovatus
Binomial name
†Vetufebrus ovatus

Vetufebrus is an extinct genus of haemospororida in the family Plasmodiidae. At the time of its description the new genus comprised a single species Vetufebrus ovatus known from a single Miocene Dominican amber fossil found on Hispaniola. V. ovatus was vectored by Enischnomyia stegosoma , the first fossil streblid bat fly described from a fossil, and the only member of the subfamily Nycterophiliinae described from Hispaniola. V. ovatus is the first instance of a Streblidae bat fly as a host for a malarial parasite.

Contents

History and classification

Vetufebrus ovatus was described based on a group of fossilized specimens which are preserved as in the host batfly, itself an inclusion in a transparent chunk of Dominican amber. [1] [2] The amber is fossil resin that was produced by the extinct Hymenaea protera , which formerly grew on Hispaniola, across northern South America and up to southern Mexico. The amber dates from the Burdigalian stage (20.43 ± 0.05 to 15.97 ± 0.05 million years ago) of the Miocene, and is recovered from sections of the La Toca Formation in the Cordillera Septentrional and the Yanigua Formation in the Cordillera Oriental. [3] [4] The amber specimen was collected from the LaBúcara amber mine in the Dominican Republic. [2]

At the time of description, the holotype specimen, number "No. D-7-239", was preserved in the Poinar Amber collections, housed at Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon. The holotype fossil was first studied by entomologist George Poinar Jr. of Oregon State University with his 2011 type description of the new genus and species being published in the journal Parasites & Vectors . The genus name, Vetufebrus was derived from a combination of the Latin words vetus meaning "old" and febris meaning "fever". The specific epithet ovatus was coined from the Latin word ovatus meaning "ovate", an allusion to the shape of the oocysts. [1]

Paleobiology and parasite vectoring

Male Enischnomyia stegosoma; arrows indicate oocysts Enischnomyia with Vetufebrus 1.jpg
Male Enischnomyia stegosoma;
arrows indicate oocysts

Extant bat malaria causing plasmodiids are transmitted by species of the bat fly family Nycteribiidae, with no recorded association between living malaria plasmodiids and streblid bat flies. Of the four genera of bat malaria Hepatocystis , Nycteria , Plasmodium , and Polychromophilus , the first three are confined to old world bats, and only Polychromophilus is present in the new world. Vetufebrus ovatus oocysts are preserved in the mid gut of Enischnomyia stegosoma [5] and sporozoites are present in the oocysts along with in the salivary ducts. [5] The sporozoites preserved in the salivary glands and ducts are similar in size to those in the oocysts, which indicate that V. ovatus was successfully vectored to the flies host. [1] The infection association was the first instance of a Streblidae family bat fly acting as host and vector for a malarial parasite. [1] The oocysts of V. ovatus are smaller and ovoid in shape while mature Polychromophilus species oocysts are rounded and larger overall. Poinar notes that the oocysts in V. ovatus might have been immature, and the sporozoites in the salivary ducts could have been left from a prior infection. The overall sporozoite morphology is similar to those of Polychromophilus species, suggesting the possibility of Vetufebrus being an early lineage for Polychromophilus, though the oocysts are not consistent. [1]

The amber entombing V. ovatus and E. stegosoma contains no preserved evidence of what its host animal may have been. However member species of Streblidae are bat parasites, with Nycterophiliinae subfamily species being obligate external parasites that feed on the blood of bats, so it is suggested E. stegosoma was the same. At least two bat fur fossils had been described from Dominican amber prior to the description of E. stegosoma. A larval Nymphalidae brush-footed butterfly with a single hair stuck to a rear spine was described in 1998, with the hair noted to be similar to those of the bat genus Eptesicus . [6] [2] In 2005 additional bat hairs were reported in the amber specimen entombing the extinct kissing-bug Triatoma dominicana , its-self a host to the extinct Trypanosoma antiquus . [2]

Description

Both the oocysts are a brown in coloration and are between 29–32 μm (0.001–0.001 in) long by 15–17 μm (0.001–0.001 in) wide. Both oocysts have a thin surrounding membrane, multiple dark colored cells with nuclei and a number of developing sporozoites. The sporozoites in the oocysts range between 7–10 μm (0.000–0.000 in), while the sporocytes in the salivary glands are slightly larger, 8–10 μm (0.000–0.000 in) and have a rounded stubby outline. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plasmodiidae</span> Family of apicomplexan protists

The Plasmodiidae are a family of apicomplexan parasites, including the type genus Plasmodium, which is responsible for malaria. This family was erected in 1903 by Mesnil and is one of the four families in the order Haemospororida.

Plasmodium dominicana is an extinct parasite of the genus Plasmodium.

<i>Haemoproteus</i> Genus of single-celled organisms

Haemoproteus is a genus of alveolates that are parasitic in birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Its name is derived from Greek: haima 'blood' and Proteus, a sea god that had the power to assume various shapes. The name Haemoproteus was first used in the description of H. columbae in the blood of the pigeon Columba livia by Walther Kruse in 1890. This was also the first description of this genus. Two other genera—Halteridium and Simondia—are now considered to be synonyms of Haemoproteus.

<i>Triatoma dominicana</i> Extinct species of true bug

Triatoma dominicana is an extinct species of assassin bug in the subfamily Triatominae, the kissing bugs known from early Miocene Burdigalian stage Dominican amber deposits on the island of Hispaniola.

<i>Trypanosoma antiquus</i> Extinct species in the kinetoplast class

Trypanosoma antiquus is an extinct species of kinetoplastid, a monophyletic group of unicellular parasitic flagellate protozoa.

<i>Coprinites</i> Extinct genus of fungi

Coprinites is an extinct monotypic genus of gilled fungus in the Agaricales family Agaricaceae. At present it contains the single species Coprinites dominicana.

Polychromophilus is a genus of obligate intracellular eukaryotic parasites that infect bats from every continent except Antarctica. They are transmitted by bat flies, which act as an insect vector as well as the parasite’s site of sporogeny. Polychromophilus follows a fairly typical Haemospororidian lifecycle, with gametocytes and gametes restricted to the bloodstream of the host and meronts infecting organs – most notably the lungs and the liver. The type species is Polychromophilus melanipherus, and was described by Dionisi in 1898.

Haemosporidiasina (Haemosporidia) is a subclass of apicomplexans described by Jacques Euzéby in 1988. The taxon is very similar to Aconoidasida.

<i>Lutzomyia adiketis</i> Extinct species of fly

Lutzomyia adiketis is an extinct species of sandfly in the moth fly subfamily Phlebotominae. L. adiketis is a vector of the extinct Paleoleishmania neotropicum and both species are solely known from early Miocene Burdigalian stage Dominican amber deposits on the island of Hispaniola.

<i>Paleoleishmania</i> Extinct genus of parasitic flagellate protist in the Kinetoplastea class

Paleoleishmania is an extinct genus of kinetoplastids, a monophyletic group of unicellular parasitic flagellate protozoa. At present it is placed in the family Trypanosomatidae. The genus contains two species, the type species Paleoleishmania proterus and the later described Paleoleishmania neotropicum.

Pintomyia falcaorum is an extinct species of sandfly in the moth fly subfamily Phlebotominae. P. falcaorum is solely known from early Miocene Burdigalian stage Dominican amber deposits on the island of Hispaniola.

Acanthognathus poinari is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from a single possibly Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. A. poinari is the first species of the ant genus Acanthognathus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of several species of Acanthognathus found in the Greater Antillas.

<i>Anochetus intermedius</i> Extinct species of ant

Anochetus intermedius is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Ponerinae known from two possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. intermedius is one of eight species in the ant genus Anochetus to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of a number of Anochetus species found in the Greater Antilles.

<i>Aphaenogaster amphioceanica</i> Extinct species of ant

Aphaenogaster amphioceanica is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from a single possibly Miocene fossil found in amber on Hispaniola. At the time of description A. amphioceanica was one of two Aphaenogaster species known from the Caribbean islands.

The Yanigua Formation is a geologic formation in Dominican Republic. The lagoonal claystones and marls preserve fossils dating back to the Miocene period. The formation hosts Dominican amber.

<i>Formicodiplogaster</i> Extinct genus of roundworms

Formicodiplogaster is an extinct form genus of nematodes in the family Diplogasteridae which currently includes a single described species Formicodiplogaster myrmenema. The species is known from early Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. F. myrmenema has been preserved in association with Azteca alpha, one of only two known fossil species in the ant genus Azteca.

<i>Azteca alpha</i> Species of ant

Azteca alpha is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Dolichoderinae known from possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. A. alpha is one of only two species in the genus Azteca to have been described from fossils, both found in Dominican amber. It is the host for a fossil nematode, and has been preserved with scale insects.

<i>Zatania electra</i> Extinct species of ant

Zatania electra is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Formicinae known from three possibly Miocene fossils found on Hispaniola. Z. electra is one of several Zatania species found in the Greater Antilles.

<i>Mesembrinella caenozoica</i> Extinct species of fly

Mesembrinella caenozoica is an extinct species of blow fly in the family Mesembrinellidae. The species is solely known from the Middle Miocene Dominican amber deposits on the island of Hispaniola.

<i>Enischnomyia</i> Extinct genus of flies

Enischnomyia is an extinct genus of bat fly in the family Streblidae. At the time of its description the new genus comprised a single species, Enischnomyia stegosoma, known from a single Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. E. stegosoma was the first fossil streblid bat fly described from a fossil, and the only member of the subfamily Nycterophiliinae described from Hispaniola. The species is host for the plasmodiid Vetufebrus ovatus preserved in its salivary glands and midgut.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Poinar, G.O. Jr (2011). "Vetufebrus ovatus n. gen., n. sp. (Haemospororida: Plasmodiidae) vectored by a streblid bat fly (Diptera: Streblidae) in Dominican amber". Parasites & Vectors. 4 (1): 229. doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-4-229 . PMC   3253689 . PMID   22152687.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Poinar, G. O. Jr.; Brown, A. (2012). "The first fossil streblid bat fly, Enischnomyia stegosoma n. g., n. sp. (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea: Streblidae)". Systematic Parasitology. 81 (2): 79–86. doi:10.1007/s11230-011-9339-2. PMID   22183917. S2CID   14469619.
  3. ↑ Penny, D. (2010). "Chapter 2: Dominican Amber". In Penney, D. (ed.). Biodiversity of Fossils in Amber from the Major World Deposits. Siri Scientific Press. pp. 167–191. ISBN   978-0-9558636-4-6.
  4. ↑ Cerretti, P; Stireman, JO III; Pape, T; O'Hara, JE; Marinho, MAT; Rognes, K; Grimaldi, DA (2017). "First fossil of an oestroid fly (Diptera: Calyptratae: Oestroidea) and the dating of oestroid divergences". PLOS ONE. 12 (8 (e0182101)): e0182101. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1282101C. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182101 . PMC   5568141 . PMID   28832610.
  5. 1 2 Poinar, G. (2014). "Evolutionary history of terrestrial pathogens and endoparasites as revealed in fossils and subfossils". Advances in Biology. 2014: 1–29. doi: 10.1155/2014/181353 .
  6. ↑ Hammond, P. C.; Poinar, G. O. Jr. (1998). "A larval brush-footed butterfly (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in Dominicanamber, with a summary of fossil Nymphalidae". Entomologica Scandanavica. 29: 275–279.
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