Seven new species of coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriorina) from reptiles in Madagascar

Abstract

Seven new species of coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriorina) are described from reptiles in Madagascar. Oocysts of Caryospora barnardae sp.nov. from 1/1 Liopholidophis stumpffi (Boettger, 1881) were small and spherical, measuring 13.7 (11.2–15.2) μm. Oocysts of C. brygooi sp.nov. from 1/4 Madagascarophis colubrinus (Schlegel, 1837) were spherical or subspherical, 20.2 × 19.7 (18.6–21.6 × 17.6–21.2) μm. Oocysts of C. madagascariensis sp.nov. from 3/4 M. colubrinus (type host) and 1/6 Mimophis mahfalensis (Grandidier, 1867) were large, 26.2 × 24.2 (21.6–30.0 × 21.0–27.2) μm. Oocysts of C. minuta sp.nov. from 1/2 Lioheterodon madagascariensis Duméril and Bibron, 1854 were small and spherical, 11.6 (9.6–13.2) μm. Oocysts of C. serpentis sp.nov. from 1/2 L. madagascariensis (type host), 2/3 M. mahfalensis, and 3/4 Madagascarophis colubrinus were spherical to subspherical, 17.1 × 17.0 (13.6–20.0 × 13.6–20.0) μm. Oocysts of Eimeria furmani sp. nov. from 2/5 Hemidactylus frenatus Schlegel, 1836 measured 20.5 × 16.9 μm and oocysts of Isospora frenatus sp.nov. from 1/5 H. frenatus were large and ellipsoidal, 31.9 × 26.4 μm. In addition, oocysts of a Cryptosporidium species from 1/4 Chamaeleo lateralis Gray, 1831 were seen, and measured 5.5 × 4.8 μm, and sporocysts of three separate Sarcocystis species were noted. Sporocysts from 1/1 Lioheterodon gaeyi Mocquard, 1905 measured 9.2 × 7.9 (8.2–9.8 × 7.2–8.4) μm, those from 1/4 M. colubrinus 9.5 × 7.2 (8.8–9.8 × 6.2–8.0) μm, and those from 1/6 Mimophis mahfalensis 12.0 × 9.1 (11.2–12.8 × 8.6–9.61) μm.