Trypanosoma (Haematomonas) pienaari, Jordaan & H. & Preez & Netherlands, 2024

Description of Trypanosoma (Haematomonas) pienaari sp. nov. Jordaan, du Preez & Netherlands

Type host: Pelomedusa galeata Schoepff, 1792 ( Testudines: Pelomedusidae ).

Type material: Hapantotype, one blood smear from the type host Pelomedusa galeata , deposited in the Parasitic Worm Collection, National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa under accession number NMB P 1025 (RE210331A3). Other voucher material belonging to the type series, one blood smear from Pelomedusa galeata deposited in the Parasitic Worm Collection , National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa under accession number NMB P 1024 (RE210331A2) .

Representative DNA sequence: The sequence data specifically associated with T. pienaari (upon which the present biological description is based) have been submitted to GenBank and are as follows: Nuclear 18S rDNA (nu 18S) partial sequences PP826319 (RE210331A3) and PP826320 (RE210331A2).

ZooBank registration: The LSID for the new name Trypanosoma pienaari Jordaan, du Preez & Netherlands sp. nov. is [ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5780031F-838D-471B-99ED-83669A060209 ].

Etymology: This species is named in honour of the late Dr Uys De Villiers Pienaar, for his work on the trypanosomes of South

African herpetofauna and his contribution to the conservation of South African wildlife.

Type locality: Borrow pit near Mkhanyeni, eastern Lebombo Mountain foothills, (27°00 ʹ 51.0″ S; 32°08 ʹ 29.0″ E), KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa GoogleMaps .

Site of infection: Peripheral blood.

Vector: Unknown.

Stages in vector: Unknown.

Description: Measurements are given in micrometres. The range is shown, with the mean ± SD in parentheses. Body length 52.93– 61.79 (56.91 ± 2.85) (N = 16) and body width 2.48–5.06 (3.89 ± 0.81) (N = 16); with a body shape index of 10.49–24.13 (15.31 ± 3.7) (N = 16). Nucleus length 3.11–4.78 (3.75 ± 0.42) (N = 16) and nucleus width 1.98–3.24 (2.59 ± 0.36) (N = 16); with a nuclear index of 1.07–1.9 (1.46 ± 0.2) (N = 16). Undulating membrane width 1.5–2.24 (1.94 ± 0.22) (N = 16) and number of undulations 11–15 (13.47 ± 1.25) (N = 15). Kinetoplast length 0.76–1.24 (0.99 ± 0.13) (N = 16) and kinetoplast width 0.39–0.7 (0.55 ± 0.08) (N = 16). Mid-nucleus to anterior body end distance 25.89–33.99 (31.34 ± 2.45) (N = 16) and mid-nucleus to posterior body end distance 21.76–29.62 (25.66 ± 2.22) (N = 16). Kinetoplast to anterior body end distance 47.81–57.36 (53.24 ± 2.51) (N = 16) and kinetoplast to posterior body end distance 1.04–5.49 (3.61 ± 1.33) (N = 16). Kinetoplast to mid-nucleus distance 19.27–22.86 (21.63 ± 0.95) (N = 16). Free flagellum length 17.22–21.56 (19.62 ± 1.3) (N = 8). The nucleus and kinetoplast are positioned 48.28–62.53 (55.11 ± 3.83)% (N = 16) and 90.24–99.11 (93.59 ± 2.39)% (N = 16) from the anterior body end, respectively.

Remarks: The body is long and slender, with sharply tapering ends ( Fig. 3 View Figure 3 ). A proportionately long undulating membrane and flagellum are present. This trypanosome was often observed to be curled or in the shape of an ‘S’, ‘§’, ‘W’, or ‘C’. The nucleus is oval and stained pink. The cytoplasm is stained a uniform light purple and contains several granular vacuoles. The flagellum is often visible and varies between staining light pink or being almost colourless. The nucleus is oval and often almost as broad across as the body width, and positioned roughly in the middle of the body. The kinetoplast is positioned close to anterior end. In addition, this species has a relatively high number of undulations.

The trypanosome from the present study appears most similar morphologically to the unnamed trypanosome described by Minchin (1910) from an African tortoise (see plate 9, fig. 65). No measurements were provided in the description by Minchin (1910), but the kinetoplast of both species is positioned close to the posterior body end. The nucleus of both species is round, pink-staining and appears similarly positioned posterior to the centre of the body. A distinct undulating membrane is shown in the species reported by Minchin (1910), which extends the entire length of the body, similar to the trypanosome of the present study. The species in the present study and that described by Minchin (1910) possess a relatively long and distinct flagellum, which is stained pink. Despite these two species both being reported from Africa, they are separated by a vast geographical distance and several mountain ranges, because the trypanosome described by Minchin (1910) was from an unspecified locality in Uganda, and the host specimens of the trypanosome from the present study were from South Africa. It is also not known specifically what tortoise host was infected with the species described by Minchin (1910).

When compared with the other trypanosomes of the present study, this trypanosome was proportionately more slender, with a body shape index of 15.31 ± 3.7, in contrast to that of the redescribed T. neitzi and T. sheppardi , measuring 9.16 ± 1.73 and 8.44 ± 2.35, respectively. The body of this trypanosome was also narrower, measuring 3.89 ± 0.81 µm, when compared with the body width of the redescribed T. neitzi and T. sheppardi , 5.59 ± 1.38 and 7.3 ± 2.33 µm, respectively. The kinetoplast of this trypanosome was positioned further from the anterior body end, at 93.59% ± 2.39%, than in the redescribed T. neitzi and T. sheppardi , 93.59% ± 2.39% and 89.31% ± 4.06%, respectively.

Accordingly, given that this trypanosome did not match any currently described species of Trypanosoma , it is described as a new species in the present study, Trypanosoma (Haematomonas) pienaari .