Eimeria nigeri, Viana & Motta & Coutinho & Rocha, 2013

Viana, Lúcio André, Motta, Adarene Guimarães da Silva, Coutinho, Marcos Eduardo & Rocha, Carlos Frederico Duarte, 2013, Eimeria spp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) in Black Caiman Melanosuchus niger (Crocodilia: Alligatoridae) from the Amazon Region, Brazil, with a Description of Two New Coccidian Species, Acta Protozoologica 52 (4), pp. 283-289 : 284-285

Eimeria nigeri n. sp. ( Figs 1–2 )

Description of sporulated oocysts: Oocysts spheroidal to subspheroidal, wall composed of 2 layers (n = 49), ~1.2 (1.0–1.3) thick; outer is slightly sculptured, colorless, ~ 2/3 of total thickness, while inner appears as a dark line; sporulated oocysts (n = 50) 29.2 × 28.1 (23– 32 × 23–30), L/W ratio 1.0 (1.0–1.1); M, PG: both absent; OR: mostly spheroidal globule, 12.1 × 11.0 (9.3–14 × 8–13), composed of at least 3 different globules, each inside the next larger body. Distinctive feature of oocyst: the complex OR composed of multiple bodies.

Description of sporocysts and sporozoites: Sporocysts ovoidal, slightly pointed at one end, (n = 48) 15.5 × 9.7 (12–17 × 8–11), L/W ratio 1.6 (1.2–2.0); SB: prominent, 2.2 × 1.7 (1–3 × 1–2); SSB, PSB: both absent; SR: condensed group of large globules that appear to be enclosed by a dense matrix of tiny granules. Distinctive feature of sporocyst: SR of large globules that may be membrane bound. Sporozoite with 2 large refractile bodies spheroid and located in the middle and posterior end.

Type-host: The black caiman Melanosuchus niger Spix, 1825 ( Crocodylia, Alligatoridae ).

Type-locality: Extractive Reserve Lake Cuniã (08°19′05.0″S and 63°29′48.9″W), Porto Velho County, Rondonia State, Brazil .

Site of infection: Not investigated.

Sporulation: Unknown. Oocyst suspensions were kept in vials of 2.5% K 2 Cr 2 O 7 solution for two weeks prior to examination.

Prevalence: 16/23 (70%).

Etymology: The specific name is designated by specific name of the host.

Type-specimens: One-half of the oocysts were kept in 10% aqueous buffered formalin (v/v) and the other half in 70% ethanol, according to Duszynski and Gardner (1991). Both samples were deposited in the Parasite Collection at the Department of Animal Parasitology , which is located at the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, within the municipality of Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Phototypes and line drawings were deposited as well, under repository number P-43/2012 .

Figures

Figs 1–6. Nomarski interference micrographs of sporulated coccidia oocysts found in black caimans faeces × 1,000. 1–2 – Eimeria nigeri n. sp.; 3–4 – Eimeria portovelhensis n. sp.; 5–6 – Eimeria paraguayensis. FIL – filament from the area of the Stieda body, OR – oocyst residuum, OW – oocyst wall, RB – refractile body, SB – Stieda body, SR – sporocyst residuum.