Echis carinatus (Serpentes: Viperidae) as a new host for Caryospora maxima (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) in Saudi Arabia.
Caryospora maxima is redescribed from the intestinal contents of the viperid snake, Echis carinatus collected from Gazan area in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. This report represents a new host and geographic location for the parasite. Sporulated oocysts of this coccidian are spherical to subspherical, 42.8 x 41.2 (40.3-45.9 x 39.6-43.8) microm, with smooth brownish-yellow bilayered wall, 1.9 (1.5-2.3) microm. thick. Micropyle and oocyst residuum are absent. Some oocysts had a small polar granule. Sporocysts are broadly ellipsoid, 22.1 x 16.8 (21.0-23.3 x 15.5-17.4) microm., with a prominent stieda and substieda bodies. Sporocyst residuum is present consisting of many granules in compact mass. Sporozoites are banana-shaped, each with two refractile globules. Oocyst measurements were similar to those reported from Psammophis schokari in Jordan. Except for the presence of a spherical polar granule, the oocyst morphology was identical to the original description of C. maxima.
Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 26213, Riyadh, 11486, Saudi Arabia.
Mohamed S
MS
Alyousif
Abdullah D
AD
Al-Anazi
Yaser R
YR
Al-Shawa
D000818:Animals; D021743:Eimeriidae / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology; D033661:Oocysts / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D017819:Viperidae / Q000469:parasitology*