title: A new Sarcocystis species (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) from the rock gecko Bunopus tuberculatus in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: Sarcocystis bunopusi n. sp. from the muscle fibres of the rock gecko ( Bunopus tuberculatus ) in Saudi Arabia is described. Sarcocysts were found in skeletal muscles of the tail and fore and hind limbs in 3 of 30 geckos. Sarcocysts were microscopic, 42-45 µm long and 22-25 µm wide. Using light microscopy, the cyst wall was thin and smooth. Ultrastructurally, the primary cyst wall consisted of a thin parasitophorous vacuolar membrane with osmiophilic 100 nm × 50 nm knob-like papillae, and no perpendicular protrusions. Septae were indistinct. Bradyzoites were 5-7 × 1.5-2.0 µm in size. This is the first description of a Sarcocystis species from this gecko.
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia. azema1@yahoo.com
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Abdel-Baki
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Abdel-Haleem
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Quraishy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008116:Lizards / Q000469:parasitology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000662:veterinary; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000469:parasitology; D012522:Sarcocystis / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012523:Sarcocystosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D013623:Tail