Trypanosoma bouffardiof West African Ploceidae (Aves)

Trypanosoma bouffardiLeger & Blanchard, 1911, is described from naturally infectedLagonosticta s. senegala, Estrilda b. bengalus, Vidua chalybeata, Estrilda t. troglodytesandAmadina f. fasciata, all of which are new host records for Nigeria;Vidua chalybeatais a new host record for trypanosomes. There was no significant morphological difference between populations of this trypanosome in the various natural and experimental vertebrate hosts. T. bouffardiwas transmissible to nine species of Ploceidae belonging to the three subfamilies Estrilinae, Ploceinae and Viduinae; but not toPycnonotus barbatus, chickens or pigeons. The parasitaemia produced by infections ofT. bouffardireached 4·1 × 105parasites/mm3of blood. Reproduction of the trypanosomes was synchronous and discontinuous and occurred in the blood by unequal binary fission of trypomastigotes. Occasionally longitudinal equal binary fission of trypomastigotes also took place. There was no concentration of dividing forms in the tissues. T. bouffardidid not grow on NNN medium although it has been grown for a short time on the medium described by Yesufu (1970).