On Adlerocystis n.gen. (Phycomycetes) a symbiote of Ornithodoros ticks

Abstract

A n.gen. and n.sp. of a yeast-like micro-organism—Adlerocystis ornithodori—is described. This micro-organism is probably a symbiote of sperm cells of Ornithodoros tholozani. Another species, A. parkeri n.sp., is found in O. parkeri.Adlerocystis sp. were also found in O. coriaceus, O. nicollei, O. erraticus, and O. savignyi.The earliest stage of development of A. ornithodori was observed in the posterior lobe of the complex of accessory genital glands of the male, where it has the shape of a round cell. It is spindle-shaped when attached to the mature sperm in the spermatophore.The development of A. ornithodori from a round cell to an elongated spindle-shaped organism, in vitro in the spermatophore, as well as in vitro, is described.We wish to thank Dr W. Burgdorfer, the Rocky Mountain Laboratory, Mr R. Garcia, University of California, and Mr A. Avivi, the Israeli Institute of Biology, who provided ticks, as well as Mr E. B. Kennedy for taking the microphotographs and Mr N. Shultan from the Elyahu and Rosa Wunsch Electron Microscopy Laboratory for the electron micrograph, both from the Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem.