Ophryocystis
| Ophryocystis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Clade: | Sar |
| Superphylum: | Alveolata |
| Phylum: | Apicomplexa |
| Class: | Conoidasida |
| Order: | Neogregarinorida |
| Family: | Ophryocystidae |
| Genus: | Ophryocystis Schneider, 1883 |
Ophryocystis is a genus of neogregarine protozoan parasites that infect insects in the orders Coleoptera and Lepidoptera.[1] Ophryocystis species with beetle hosts replicate in the Malpighian tubules, while those infecting butterflies do so in the hypodermis.[2]
Species in this group
There are currently 16 described Ophryocystis species.[1] The most well known and extensively studied is Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, which infects Danaus (monarch and queen) butterflies.[3]
References
- ^ a b Müller-Theissen, Maria L.; Barriga, Paola; Yan, Katie; Gottdenker, Nicole L.; Altizer, Sonia M. (2025). "Museum collections reveal a global range of Ophryocystis parasites in Danaus butterflies". Ecological Entomology. 50 (3): 552–564. Bibcode:2025EcoEn..50..552M. doi:10.1111/een.13426.
- ^ McLaughlin, R. E.; Myers, J. (1970). "Ophryocystis elektroscirrha sp. n., a Neogregarine pathogen of the monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus (L.) and Florida queen butterfly D. Gilippus berenice Cramer". Journal of Protozoology. 17: 300–305. doi:10.1111/j.1550-7408.1970.tb02375.x.
- ^ Mongue, A. J.; Martin, S. H.; Manweiler, R. E. V.; Scullion, H.; Koehn, J. L.; de Roode, J. C.; Walters, J. R (2023). "Genome sequence of Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, an apicomplexan parasite of monarch butterflies: cryptic diversity and response to host-sequestered plant chemicals". BMC Genomics. 24 (1): 278. doi:10.1186/s12864-023-09350-0. PMC 10210345. PMID 37226080.