Eimeria peltocephali n. sp., (Apicomplexa:Eimeriidae) from the Freshwater Turtle Peltocephalus dumerilianus (Chelonia:Pelomusidae) and Eimeria molossi n. sp., from the Bat, Molossus ater (Mammalia:Chiroptera)

Abstract

The oocyst is described of Eimeria peltocephali n.sp. from faeces of the freshwater turtle Peltocephalus dumerilianus from Barcelos, State of Amazonas, Brazil. Sporulation is exogenous and fully developed oocysts are elongate, ellipsoidal or cylindrical, frequently curved to a banana-shape, 54.4 x19.1 (37.5 -68.7 x 18.7-20.0 µm), shape-index 2.8 (1.8 -3.9

A new Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae), possessing mitra-shaped oocysts, from the Neotropical chelid turtle Batrachemys heliostemma (Testudines: Chelidae), and its comparison with Eimeria mitraria (Laveran & Mesnil 1902)

“…n., including recently discovered Eimeria from the African side-necked turtle Pelomedusa subrufa (Lacépède 1788) (Široký et al 2006). Also none of the five remaining species of genus Eimeria previously described from turtles of the Neotropical region, resembles the new species descried above (Carini 1942, Lainson 1968, Lainson et al 1990, Couch et al 1996, Lainson & Naiff 1998, Hùrková et al 2000.…”

“…Up to recently, only eight species of Eimeria were described and named from turtles of this region, three of them (E. jaboti Carini 1942, E. lainsoni Hùrková, Modrý, Koudela & Šlapeta 2000, and E. motelo Hùrková, Modrý, Koudela & Šlapeta 2000 parasitize the Yellow-footed tortoise Geochelone denticulata (Linnaeus 1766). Three others (E. lagunculata Lainson, Costa & Shaw 1990, E. mammiformis Lainson, Costa & Shaw 1990, and E. podocnemis Lainson, Costa & Shaw 1990) were described from the Arrau turtle Podocnemis expansa (Schweigger 1812) and one species was described from each of the Galápagos tortoise Geochelone nigra (Quoy & Gaimard 1824) and the Bigheaded turtle Peltocephalus dumerilianus (Schweigger 1812) (Carini 1942, Lainson et al 1990, Couch et al 1996, Lainson & Naiff 1998, Hùrková et al 2000. We had an opportunity to examine the faeces of two specimens of Batrachemys heliostemma collected at Iquitos and found a new Eimeria possessing mitra-shaped oocysts, described and named in this paper.…”

“…We had an opportunity to examine the faeces of two specimens of Batrachemys heliostemma collected at Iquitos and found a new Eimeria possessing mitra-shaped oocysts, described and named in this paper. To avoid possible conspecificity with E. mitraria (Laveran & Mesnil 1902), a species reported from more than a dozen turtles from three continents (McAllister & Upton 1989, Lainson & Naiff 1998, Segade et al 2004, we re-isolated this coccidium from its type host, the Chinese three-keeled pond turtle Chinemys reevesii (Gray 1831) and have made a thorough comparison.…”

Eimeria lokuma n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae), a new coccidium from the African helmeted turtle Pelomedusa subrufa (Lacépède) (Testudines: Pelomedusidae)

“…Fifty species of eimerian coccidia have been described and named from chelonian hosts (Upton et al, 1995;Lainson & Naiff, 1998;Hu˚rkova´et al, 2000;Sˇiroky´& Modry´, 2005). Such a diversity of species has lead to overlap in the limited number of morphological characters used as the principle diagnostic features (Duszynski & Wilber, 1997).…”

“…The oo¨cyst of third species, E. podocnemis Lainson, Costa & Shaw, 1990, has a different shape-index (it is more elongate) and lacks an oo¨cyst residuum, the presence of a polar granule is a constant feature and sporocysts lack a Stieda body (Lainson et al, 1990). The fourth Eimeria species from pelomedusid hosts, E. peltocephali Lainson & Naiff, 1998, was described from the big-headed Amazon river turtle Peltocephalus dumerilianus (Schweigger); this is a huge coccidium easily distinguishable from all coccidia known from chelonians (Lainson & Naiff, 1998). E. lokuma also differs from all of the abovementioned species by the membranous structure covering the Stieda body.…”