title: A New Species ofEimeria(Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Green Frog,Lithobates clamitans(Anura: Ranidae) from Arkansas, U.S.A.
abstract: Between April and October 2012, 20 juvenile and adult green frogs (Lithobates clamitans) were collected by hand or dipnet from 3 counties of Arkansas and examined for coccidial parasites. A single frog (5%) was found to be passing oocysts of a new eimerian species. Oocysts ofEimeria menaensisn. sp. were ellipsoidal to subspheroidal with a bilayered wall and measured (L × W) 25.4 × 15.6 (23-27 × 13-17) µm, with a L/W ratio of 1.6. A micropyle was absent but an oocyst residuum and polar granule were present. Sporocysts were spheroidal to subspheroidal and measured 5.0 × 5.0 (4-6) µm with L/W of 1.1. An indistinct Stieda body was present, but sub-and para-Stieda bodies were absent. The sporocyst residuum consisted of condensed granules dispersed between sporozoites. Sporozoites were elongate and attenuated at both ends with spheroidal anterior and posterior refractile bodies. This represents the second report of coccidia fromL. clamitansand the first time a coccidian has been reported from a green frog from Arkansas.
authors.affiliation: Division of Science and Mathematics, Eastern Oklahoma State College, Idabel, Oklahoma 74745, U.S.A. ( cmcallister@se.edu ).
authors.forename: Chris T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Mcallister
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming/Casper Center, 125 College Drive, Casper, Wyoming 82601, U.S.A. ( sseville@uwyo.edu ).
authors.forename: R Scott
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Seville
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University-Shenango Campus, 147 Shenango Avenue, Sharon, Pennsylvania 16146-1537, U.S.A. ( cxb13@psu.edu ).
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Bursey
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, State University, Arkansas 72467, U.S.A. ( strauth@astate.edu ).
authors.forename: Stanley E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Trauth
authors.affiliation: Health and Natural Sciences, South Arkansas Community College, 300 S. West Ave., El Dorado, Arkansas, 71730, U.S.A. ( mconnior@southark.edu ).
authors.forename: Matthew B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Connior
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, Arkansas 71754, U.S.A. ( hwrobison@yahoo.com ).
authors.forename: Henry W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Robison
keywords: Apicomplexa; Arkansas; Eimeria menaensis; Lithobates clamitans; bronze frog; coccidia; green frog