title: Isospora anthochaerae n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from a Red wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata) (Passeriformes: Meliphagidae) in Western Australia.
abstract: A new species, Isospora anthochaerae n. sp. is described from a Red wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata). Sporulated oocysts (n=37) are subspherical, with smooth colourless to pale brown bilayered oocyst wall, 0.8 μm thick (outer layer 0·6 μm, inner 0.2 μm thick). Oocyst with 2 spheroidal to subspheroidal sporocysts. Oocyst length, 23.4 μm (20.0-26.0); oocyst width, 20.7 μm (19.0-22.0); oocyst length/width (L/W) ratio, 1.1. Micropyle, oocyst residuum and polar granule are absent. Sporocysts with compact sporocyst residuum and 4 sporozoites. Sporocyst length, 14.5 μm; sporocyst width, 10.1 μm sporocyst L/W ratio, 1.4. Molecular analysis was conducted at four loci; the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA and the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase gene (COI). At the COI locus, I. anthochaerae n. sp. exhibited 98.5% similarity to Isospora lesouefi from a Regent honeyeater (Xanthomyza phrygia) and 98% similarity with an Isospora sp. (iSAT5) from a blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla). Based on morphological and molecular data, this isolate is a new species of coccidian parasite that to date has only been found in Red wattlebirds.
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
authors.forename: Rongchang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, 120 Gilchrist Road, Lesmurdie, Western Australia 6076, Australia.
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brice
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia. Electronic address: Una.Ryan@murdoch.edu.au.
authors.forename: Una
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D007549:Isospora / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D021865:Isosporiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D033661:Oocysts / Q000648:ultrastructure; D046109:Passeriformes / Q000469:parasitology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S / Q000235:genetics; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
keywords: 18S rRNA; 28S rRNA; COI; ITS rRNA; Isospora; Morphology; Phylogeny; Red wattlebird