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Two New Eimerians from American Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis (Crocodilia: Alligatoridae), from Georgia, USA

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Abstract

Purpose

Little is known about the coccidian parasites of the American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis (Daudin). To date, only two species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 have been previously reported from A. mississippiensis. Here, we report from mensural and morphometric data on two new species of Eimeria from A. mississippiensis from Georgia, USA.

Methods

Fresh feces were collected in June 2023 from a single captive juvenile male A. mississippiensis. Multiple samples were placed in individual zip-lock bags and aqueous potassium dichromate was added. They were examined for sporulated oocysts after flotation in Sheather’s sugar solution, measured, and photographed.

Results

Samples contained oocysts representing two new species of Eimeria. Oocysts of Eimeria tellezae n. sp. are subspheroidal to ellipsoidal with a pitted bi-layered wall, measure (L × W) 34.5 × 31.5 µm, and have a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.1; a micropyle and polar granule were absent but an oöcyst residuum was present. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal and measure 17.2 × 7.7 µm, L/W 2.2; a nipple-like Stieda body bearing one to several filaments was present but sub-Stieda and para-Stieda bodies were absent. The sporocyst residuum is composed of various-sized granules in a compact rounded or irregular mass, sometimes dispersed between the sporozoites. Oocysts of Eimeria daudini n. sp. are ellipsoidal with a pitted bi-layered wall, measure (L × W) 32.5 × 20.2 µm, and have a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.6; a micropyle and polar granule were absent but an oöcyst residuum was present. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal and measure 15.4 × 7.4 µm, L/W 2.1; a nipple-like Stieda body bearing one to several filaments was present but sub-Stieda and para-Stieda bodies were absent. The sporocyst residuum is composed of various-sized granules in a compact rounded or irregular mass, sometimes dispersed between the sporozoites. Both new species can readily be distinguished from previously described eimerians from crocodilians, including those from A. mississippiensis.

Conclusion

We document two new species of Eimeria from the American alligator. Currently, four species of Eimeria are known from A. mississippiensis examined from both east and west of the Mississippi River, USA.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Drs. Scott L. Gardner and Gabor R. Racz (HWML) for expert curatorial assistance, and Michael Brennan, Dan Quinn, Joseph Colbert, Rae Post, and Staff and volunteers of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for assistance with the host.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Natural Sciences, Northeast Texas Community College, Mt. Pleasant, TX, 75455, USA

    Chris T. McAllister

  2. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, 85308, USA

    John A. Hnida

  3. Georgia Sea Turtle Center/Jekyll Island Authority, 214 Stable Road, Jekyll Island, GA, 31527, USA

    Shane M. Boylan & Mikayla Siesto

Authors
  1. Chris T. McAllister
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  2. John A. Hnida
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Contributions

CTM and JAH: this study was designed. SNB and BS: field collections were performed. CTM and JAH: laboratory procedures for recovery of oocysts were performed. JAH: laboratory procedures for measurements, photomicrographs, and isolation of oocysts were performed. CTM: drew the coccidian oocysts. The manuscript was written by all authors and subsequently revised by all authors. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Chris T. McAllister.

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McAllister, C.T., Hnida, J.A., Boylan, S.M. et al. Two New Eimerians from American Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis (Crocodilia: Alligatoridae), from Georgia, USA. Acta Parasit. 69, 675–680 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-023-00788-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-023-00788-6

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