Acta Parasitologica, Vol. 50, No. 3, 2005, 191-193 Heather Metzelaars(1), Tiffany Spaargaren(1), Thomas E. McQuistion(1)* and Angelo P. Capparella(2) - Isospora iridosornisi, a new coccidian parasite
(Apicomplexa, Eimeriidae) from the yellow-throated tanager,
Iridosornis analis of South America
(1)Department of Biology, Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois, 62522, (2)Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois 61761; USA
*Corresponding author: tmcquistion@mail.millikin.edu
ABSTRACT
A new isosporan parasite, Isospora iridosornisi, is identified from the fecal contents of the yellow-throated tanager, Iridosornis analis, from Peru. Sporulated oocysts are ovoidal, 22.1 × 18.9 (20-25 × 16-23) um with a smooth, colorless, bilayered wall; the inner wall is darker than the outer wall. The average shape index is 1.2. No micropyle or oocyst residuum are present but the oocyst contains one ovoid polar granule. Sporocysts are ovoid, 13.6 × 9 (9-17 × 8-11) um with a smooth single layered wall and an average shape index of 1.5. The Stieda body is bubble-shaped with a collar-shaped substieda body. Within the sporocyst is a large spherical residuum composed of coarse non-uniform granules and 4 randomly arranged vermiform sporozoites with a subspherical, posterior refractile body and a centrally located nucleus.
KEY WORDS: Coccidia, Isospora iridosornisi, birds, Iridosornis analis, South America