Studies on three species of the genus cystocephalus schneider, 1886 (apicomplexa: eugregarinida : stylocephalidae)‎ with special reference to host specificity and distribution of members of family stylocephalidae in Egypt

الملخص EN

Three species belonging to genus Cystocephalus, Schneider 1886 were found parasitizing three coleopteran hosts.

Out of 105 Blaps polychresta, only one male was infected with C.

algerianus and females were parasites free.

Ten percent of examined Pimelia angulate Ten percent of examined Pimelia angulata (n = 30) were infected with the same parasite.

Among are one male (5.56 %) and 2 females (16.67 %).

Out of 126 of Trachyderma hispida 6 (4.76 %) were para-sitized by C.

gabei.

Only 3 males (5.1 %) and 3 females (4.48 %) were harbouring this parasite.

Cystocephalus albrechti were found infect-ing 78 (61.9 %) out of 126 of T.

hispida.

Forty six males (77.93%) and 32 females (47.76%) were infected.

Males of the three tenebrionid hosts were more susceptible to infection rather than females.

B.

poly-chresta was considered a new host for C.

algerianus in Egypt.

Also, C.

albrechti might be considered as specific host for T.

hispida.

Mid and hind gut appeared blackened in case of massive infection (> 240 parasites per host) of parasitized males of C.

albrechti.

The host specificity and the first biogeographically map fort distribution of styloce-phalids and cystocephalids are provided here.