A new eimeria species parasitic in western barred bandicoots, Perameles bougainville (Marsupialia: Peramelidae), in western Australia.
Feces from western barred bandicoots, Perameles bougainville, examined during routine monitoring of captive breeding colonies and wild populations were frequently found to contain oocysts. Fecal oocysts from 1 individual housed at Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre were allowed to sporulate in 2% potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) at room temperature. Sporulated oocysts are subspheroidal 18.8 X 17.9 (16.9-21.0 x 16.0-19.9) microm, with length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.05 (1.00-1.15), lack a micropyle and oocyst residuum, but they usually have a polar granule within a smooth trilaminate oocyst wall 1.0 (0.7-1.3) microm thick. Sporocysts are ovoid, 9.1 x 7.0 (8.1-10.8 x 6.1-8.6) microm, with L/W ratio of 1.32 (1.04-1.51), have a Stieda body, sporocyst residuum, and 2 comma-shaped sporozoites, each containing 2 spheroidal refractile bodies. Sporulation takes 2-5 days at room temperature. This is the first formal description of an Eimeria species parasitic in the order Peramelemorphia.
Bennett
M D
MD
School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia. m.bennett@murdoch.edu.au
Woolford
L
L
Ohara
A J
AJ
Nicholls
P K
PK
Warren
K
K
Hobbs
R P
RP
D000818:Animals; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004539:Eimeria / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D008394:Marsupialia / Q000469:parasitology*; D033661:Oocysts; D015995:Prevalence; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology