A new species of Isospora Schneider, 1881 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) in Ruppell's agama Agama rueppelli (Vaillant) (Sauria: Agamidae) from East Africa, with a review of this genus in agamid lizards.
Coprological examinations of eight Ruppell's agamas Agama rueppelli (Vaillant) revealed the presence of a coccidium of the genus Isospora Schneider, 1881 that represents a previously undescribed species. Oöcysts of Isospora farahi n. sp. are spherical or subspherical, 29.1 (26-31) x 28.8 (26-31) microm, with a shape-index of 1.01 (1-1.07). An oöcyst residuum, polar granules and micropyle are absent. The oöcyst wall is bilayered, brownish and smooth, c. 1.5-2 microm thick. The sporocysts are oval, 16.6 (15-18) x 11.4 (11-12) microm, with a shape-index of 1.46 (1.25-1.64) and both Stieda and substieda bodies. A sporocyst residuum is present as medium-sized granules scattered irregularly among the sporozoites. The sporozoites are vermiform, with a large posterior spherical refractile body. Endogenous development is intranuclear in the epithelial cells of the small intestine. Sporulation is unknown, as oöcysts were recovered from the faeces.
Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Disease, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Calea Mănăştur 3-5, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. amihalca@usamvcluj.ro
Andrei Daniel
AD
Mihalca
Miloslav
M
Jirků
Patrick Kenyatta
PK
Malonza
David
D
Modrý
D000351:Africa, Eastern; D000818:Animals; D043344:Chordata / Q000469:parasitology*; D007549:Isospora / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D021865:Isosporiasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008853:Microscopy; D033661:Oocysts / Q000166:cytology; D034101:Sporozoites / Q000166:cytology