Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Eimeria atheridis n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae), a new coccidium from the western bush viper Atheris chlorechis (Pel, 1851) from tropical Africa

  • Published:
Systematic Parasitology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Coprological examination of nine bush vipers Atheris chlorechis imported from Ghana revealed the presence of a new coccidian species belonging to Eimeria Schneider, 1875. Thin walled oöcysts of Eimeria atheridisn. sp. are spherical to slightly subspherical, 22.8 (19–26) × 22.5 (19–25) μm, without micropyle, polar granule and oöcyst residuum. Sporocysts are elongately ellipsoidal, 17.1 (15–19) × 7.5 (6–8) μm, with a dome like, relatively flat Stieda body. Sporozoites possess two refractile bodies and distinct transversal striation. Based on the presence of a Stieda body the species described herein clearly belongs to the Eimeria (sensu stricto).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Asmundsson, I.M., Upton, S.J. & Freed, P.S. (2001) Five new species of coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from colubrid snakes of Ecuador. Journal of Parasitology, 87, 1077-1081.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Daszak, P. & Ball, S.J. (1991) Five new species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from lizards. Systematic Parasitology, 20, 141-147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daszak, P. & Ball, S.J. (1998) Description of the oöcysts of three new species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from iguanid lizards (Sauria: Iguanidae) of Central and South America. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 93, 471-475.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duszynski, D.W., Altenbach, M.J., Marchindo, A.A. & Speer, C.A. (1977) Eimeria crotalviridis sp. n. from Prairie rattlesnakes, Crotalus viridis viridis, in New Mexico, with data on excystation of sporozoites and ultrastructure of the oöcyst wall. Journal of Protozoology, 24, 359-361.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jirků, M., Modrý, D., Šlapeta, J.R., Koudela, B. & Lukeš, J. (2002) The phylogeny of Goussia and Choleoeimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriorina) and the evolution of excystation structures in coccidia. Protist, 153, 379-400.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koudela, B., Modrý, D., Volf, J. & Šlapeta, J.R. (2000) SCID mice as a toll for evaluation of heteroxenous life cycle pattern of Caryospora (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) species. Veterinary Parasitology, 92, 191-198.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lainson, R. (1968) Parasitological studies in British Honduras. IV. Some coccidial parasites of reptiles. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 62, 260-266.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paperna, I. & Landsberg, J.H. (1989) Description and taxonomic discussion of eimerian coccidia from African and Levantine geckoes. South African Journal of Zoology, 24, 345-355.

    Google Scholar 

  • Šlapeta, J.R., Modrý, D. & Koudela, B. (1999) Sarcocystis atheridis n. sp., a new sarcosporidian coccidium from the Nitsche's bush viper, Atheris nitschei Tornier, 1902 from Uganda. ParasitologyResearch, 85, 758-764.

    Google Scholar 

  • Telford, S.R. (1997) Two new species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from skinks in Florida. Systematic Parasitology, 36, 27-30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Upton, S.J. & McAllister, C.T. (1990). The Eimeria(Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) of Serpentes, with descriptions of three new species from colubrid snakes. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 68, 855-864.

    Google Scholar 

  • Upton, S. J., Hanley, K. & Case, T.J. (1994) Eimeria frenatus n. sp. and Eimeria rochalimai (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Hemidactylus frenatus (Sauria: Gekkonidae) in Hawaii, U.S.A. Transactions of the American Microscopical Society, 113, 390-394.

    Google Scholar 

  • Upton, S.J., McAllister, C.T. & Garrett, C.M. (1993) Description of a new species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Heloderma suspectum (Sauria: Helodermatidae). The Texas Journal of Science, 45, 155-159.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1–3, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic

    David Modrý, Tomáš Mazuch & Martin Kamler

  2. Institute of Parasitology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Ceské Budejovice, Czech Republic

    David Modrý

  3. Sportovní 11, Brno, Czech Republic

    Petr Nečas

Authors
  1. David Modrý
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Petr Nečas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tomáš Mazuch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Martin Kamler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Modrý, D., Nečas, P., Mazuch, T. et al. Eimeria atheridis n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae), a new coccidium from the western bush viper Atheris chlorechis (Pel, 1851) from tropical Africa. Syst Parasitol 59, 71–74 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:SYPA.0000038444.21384.93

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:SYPA.0000038444.21384.93

Keywords

Search

Navigation