Parasitology, Harold W. Manter Laboratory of
Date of this Version
2003
Abstract
Fresh fecal samples from 12 shrews, 10 Cryptotis goodwini Jackson, 1933, and 2 Cryptotis merriami Thomas, 1898, were collected between December 1994 and May 1998; 11 (92%) were positive for eimeriid coccidia, including 8 of 8 C. goodwini and 2 of 2 C. merriami from Honduras and 1 of 2 C. goodwini from Guatemala. Two Eimeria species were found: 1 is consistent with the description of Eimeria whitakeri Upton and McAllister, 1991, and 1 is described in this study as new. Sporulated oocysts of the new species are subspheroidal, 16.8 × 15.7 (14–20 × 15–19) μm, with a length–width (L/W) ratio of 1.1 (1.0–1.2); they lack a micropyle and oocyst residuum, but 1–2 polar granules are always present. Sporocysts are elongate and ovoidal, 8.4 × 6.0 (6–10 × 4.5–7.5) μm, with a L/W ratio of 1.4 (1.2–1.7) and have a Stieda body and sporocyst residuum. This is the 49th Eimeria species described from all Insectivora but only the third from Cryptotis species.
Comments
Published in the Journal of Parasitology (2003) 89(5): 974-977. Copyright 2003, the American Society of Parasitologists. Used by permission.