Molecular analysis of Gregarinidae (Apicomplexa) parasites of Orthoptera Schistocerca gregaria and Locusta migratoria. Study of Gregarinidae (Apicomplexa) from Orthoptera

Orthoptera are infected by about 60 species of gregarines assigned to the genus Gregarina Dufour, 1828. Here, molecular studies indicate that specimens of Schistocerca gregaria (Forskal, 1775) and specimens of Locusta migratoria (Linne, 1758) are infected by 2 distinct Gregarina species, respectively. The species infecting S. gregaria is similar to G. garnhami described from the same host by Canning (1956) and later considered to be a junior synonym of G. acridiorum. Morphological data indicate that the species infecting L. migratoria is probably G. acridiorum. The validation of these species confirms the useful information provided by molecular analyses as far as taxonomy is concerned. Phenotypic plasticity was clearly observed in the case of G. garnhami: the morphology of its solitary or bi-associated gamonts differed according to S. gregaria geographical locality and infected subspecies.