new species of Caryospora Léger, 1904 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the endangered Round Island boa Casarea dussumieri (Schlegel) (Serpentes: Bolyeridae) of Round Island, Mauritius: an endangered parasite

• Published in: Systematic parasitology 2011-02, Vol.78 (2), p.117-122
• Main Authors: Daszak, Peter, Ball, Stanley J, Streicker, Daniel G, Jones, Carl G, Snow, Keith R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Animal Anatomy; Animal Ecology; Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; Animals; Apicomplexa; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Boidae - parasitology; Bolyeridae; Casarea dussumieri; Eimeriidae; Eimeriidae - classification; Eimeriidae - cytology; Eimeriidae - growth & development; Endangered Species; Female; Histology; Life Sciences; Male; Mauritius; Morphology; Oocysts - cytology; Serpentes; Zoology
• ISSN: 0165-5752; 1573-5192
• DOI: 10.1007/s11230-010-9280-9

A new species of Caryospora Léger, 1904 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae), C. durelli n. sp., is described from the endangered Round Island boa Casarea dussumieri (Schlegel) (Serpentes: Bolyeridae) from Round Island, Mauritius. Six of 11 hosts were infected. Oöcysts are spherical to subspherical, 19.2 × 18.2 (17.5-21 × 16-21) μm, n = 20, and have a shape index (mean length/mean width) of 1.05 (1.02-1.09). The bi-layered wall is composed of an outer layer of c.0.6 μm thick and an inner layer of c.0.4 μm thick. A micropyle, oöcyst residuum and polar granule are absent. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal, 14.7 × 11.0 (13-16 × 9.5-11.5) μm, n = 20, and have a shape index of 1.33. Both Stieda and substieda bodies are present. The sporocyst residuum measures c.12 × 4.5 μm, is surrounded by sporozoites and composed of numerous granules. Refractile bodies are present but not clearly visible. This is the first coccidian parasite reported from the family Bolyeridae and the first species of Caryospora reported from the Mascarenes. Conservation issues concerning parasites of endangered host species are discussed.