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Morphological and genetic characterization of Eimeria chalcoptereae n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) in a common bronzewing pigeon (Phaps chalcoptera) (Latham, 1790) in Western Australia

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Abstract

A new Eimeria species is described from a common bronzewing pigeon (Phaps chalcoptera) (Latham, 1790) in Western Australia. Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria chalcoptereae n. sp. (n = 30) are subspheroidal, 22–25 × 21–24 (23.5 × 22.6) μm; length/width (L/W) ratio 1.0–1.1 (1.04) μm. Wall bi-layered, 1.0–1.4 (1.2) μm thick, outer layer smooth, c.2/3 of total thickness. Micropyle barely discernible. Oocyst residuum is absent, but 2 to 3 small polar granules are present. Sporocysts (n = 30) ellipsoidal, 13–14 × 7–8 (13.5 × 7.2) μm; L/W ratio 1.8–2.0 (1.88). Stieda body present, flattened to half-moon-shaped, 0.5 × 2.0 μm; sub-Stieda present, rounded to trapezoidal, 1.5 × 2.5 μm; para-Stieda body absent; sporocyst residuum present, usually as an irregular body consisting of numerous small granules that appear to be membrane-bound. Sporozoites vermiform, with a robust refractile body and centrally located nucleus. Isolated Eimeria oocysts were analysed at the 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA and the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (COI) loci. Analyses revealed that Eimeria chalcoptereae n. sp. shared the highest number of molecular features with an Eimeria sp. previously identified from a domestic pigeon in Australia (KT305927-29), with similarities at these three loci of 98.53%, 97.32% and 94.93%, respectively. According to morphological and molecular analysis, the isolated coccidian parasite is a new species of Eimeria named Eimeria chalcoptereae n. sp. after its host, the common bronzewing pigeon (Phaps chalcoptera) (Columbiformes: Columbidae) (Latham, 1790).

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Helen Riley and all the volunteers at the Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre for all the work they do in caring for the wildlife admitted into the centre. We are also grateful to all the staff at the Wattle Grove Veterinary Hospital, Perth, for their expert treatment and care of the wildlife treated at their practice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia

    Rongchang Yang & Una M Ryan

  2. Australian National Phenome Centre, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Harry Perkins Building, Western Australia, 6150, Perth, Australia

    Rongchang Yang

  3. Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, 120 Gilchrist Road, Lesmurdie, Western Australia, 6076, Australia

    Belinda Brice

  4. Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, BR-465 km 7, Seropédica, RJ, 23897-000, Brazil

    Bruno P Berto

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  1. Rongchang Yang
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  2. Belinda Brice
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Correspondence to Rongchang Yang.

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Yang, R., Brice, B., Berto, B.P. et al. Morphological and genetic characterization of Eimeria chalcoptereae n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) in a common bronzewing pigeon (Phaps chalcoptera) (Latham, 1790) in Western Australia. Parasitol Res 119, 3729–3737 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-020-06844-8

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