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A new species of Isospora Schneider, 1881 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Morafka’s desert tortoise Gopherus morafkai (Testudines: Testudinidae)

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Abstract

Isospora gopheri n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) is described from 5 of 28 (18%) Morafka’s desert tortoise Gopherus morafkai Murphy, Berry, Edwards, Leviton, Lathrop & Readle, housed by the Phoenix Herpetological Society, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA. Sporulated oöcysts of this new species were spheroidal to subspheroidal, 20−27 × 19–27 (23.0 × 21.7) µm, with a smooth, bi-layered wall and 1–3 polar granules; an oöcyst residuum was absent. Sporocysts were elongate-ovoidal to ellipsoidal, 13–18 × 9–12 (15.9 × 10.2) µm, with a Stieda body, sub-Stieda body and sporocyst residuum; sporozoites were banana-shaped with an ellipsoidal posterior refractile body and a spheroidal anterior refractile body. This is both the first coccidian to be described from this host species and only the second reported from the host genus.

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Acknowledgements

This work was possible because of the people who make the Phoenix Herpetological Society such a unique and remarkable organisation and facility, with special thanks to Debbie Gibson, Daniel Marchand, and Russ Johnson.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Midwestern University, 19555 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale, AZ, 85308, USA

    John A. Hnida

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  1. John A. Hnida
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Correspondence to John A. Hnida.

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The author declares that he has no conflict of interest.

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All applicable institutional, national and international guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. The protocol (file number 2469) was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Midwestern University, Glendale, Arizona, USA.

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Hnida, J.A. A new species of Isospora Schneider, 1881 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Morafka’s desert tortoise Gopherus morafkai (Testudines: Testudinidae). Syst Parasitol 92, 219–222 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-015-9595-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-015-9595-7

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