In this article we will discuss about the characters and examples of Sporozoans.
Characters of Sporozoans:
(i) All sporozoans are endoparasites.
(ii) Some sporozoans such as Eimeria cause severe diseases like coccidiosis in the birds,
(iii) Locomotory organelles (cilia, flagella, pseudopodia, etc.) are absent.
(iv) Nutrition is parasitic (absorptive). Phagotrophy is rare.
(v) The body is covered with an elastic pellicle or cuticle.
(vi) Contractile vacuoles are absent.
(vii) Asexual reproduction occurs through multiple fission.
(viii) Sexual reproduction takes place through syngamy.
(ix) Life cycle consists of two distinct asexual and sexual phases. They may be passed in one (monogenetic) or two different hosts (digenetic).
Examples of Sporozoans:
Plasmodium, Monocystis, Eimeria.
i. Monocystis:
Monocystis live as endoparasite in the coelomic epithelial cells and seminal vesicles of earthworm. The fertility of the earthworm is not greatly impaired, since most of the seminal vesicles are not involved.
ii. Eimeria:
Eimeria mitis is present as intracellular parasite in the anterior part of the ileum of adult birds. Eimeria tenella affects the caeca of chickens and causes a disease known as caecal coccidiosis. It is caused due to extensive destruction of the caecal epithelium which results in severe hemorrhage.