Apicomplexa

What are the shared features of alveolates? How are these traits manifested in the apicomplexa?

What are the shared properties of the Apicomplexa?

What is the apical complex? Describe its structure and principal components.

What are micropores? Are there homologous structures in other protists? What are their roles?

Describe the life cycles of typical gregarines and coccidia. How do they differ? What are the relative roles of merogony, gamogony and sporogony in each?

How do Protococcidia and Eucoccidia differ in regard to their life cycle.

What does life history mean. What is the relation to life cycle?

Discuss adaptations to a parasitic life-style in gregarines and coccidia. Which of these groups do you think are the more successful parasites? Why? How do you measure success?

What is the significance of the development of coccidian life histories with alternate hosts? Define primary and secondary hosts. Which do you think is the original host of the parasite? Why? What advantages might such a system of more than one host have? What costs?

Using Plasmodium as an example, discuss the features that make this organism a very successful parasite.

What is Colpodella (Spiromonas) to what extent is its life history apicomplexan like.

What do you think are the implications of the observtion that the apicomplexa, alone of all protist groups that contain parasites, are wholly parasitic?

Compare and contrast the different strategies that gregarines and coccidia have used in adapting to a parasitic environment.