title: Surface morphology of gregarine spores found in the haemocoel of some New Zealand hepialids (Lepidoptera, Insecta).
abstract: The spores of three gregarine species which produce cysts in the haemocoel of New Zealand hepialids are described and their host species are listed. One of the species, Diplocystis oxycani Dumbleton, has been previously described, but the other two are undescribed. Since the undescribed species form haemocoelic cysts in insects and because their vegetative stages are unknown, they have temporarily been designated Pseudomonocystis, and named P. spinosus n. sp. and P. hexaporcatus n. sp. The spores of each species were examined with the SEM and each was found to be biconical with a polar cap. However, they could be distinguished by their very distinctive surface ornamentation. Spores of D. oxycani were covered with short ridges arranged in a helical pattern, those of P. spinosus n. sp. were covered with spines, and those of P. hexaporcatus had six longitudinal ridges. The ultrathin sections showed that the spore wall of D. oxycani comprised up to six layers. D. oxycani was recorded from Wiseana umbraculata, W. jocosa, W. copularis, and Aoraia aurimaculata. P. spinosus was recorded from W. umbraculata and A. aurimaculata, and P. hexaporcatus was recorded from an unidentified hepialid collected from the Great Moss Swamp, Otago, New Zealand.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Archibald
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Subramaniam Pillai
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Wigley