A new eimeria species parasitic in Isoodon obesulus (Marsupialia: Peramelidae) in Western Australia

Bennett, M.D. and Hobbs, R.P. (2011) A new eimeria species parasitic in Isoodon obesulus (Marsupialia: Peramelidae) in Western Australia. Journal of Parasitology, 97 (6). pp. 1129-1131.

Abstract

Feces from southern brown bandicoots, Isoodon obesulus., inhabiting the Perth metropolitan area were examined using fecal flotation and light microscopy, and were frequently found to contain oocysts (10/24; 42%). To enable formal description of the proposed new Einteria species, i.e.. Eimeria quenda n. sp., fecal oocysts from I juvenile male I. obesulus were allowed to sporulate in 2% potassium dichromate (K(2)Cr(2)O(7)) at room temperature. Sporulated oocysts are spheroidal to subspheroidal 24.5 X 23.6 (22.5-26.0 x 22.5-24.8) pm, with L/W ratio of 1.04 (1.00-1.13), lack a micropyle and oocyst residuum, and are contained within a smooth trilaminate oocyst wall 1.8(1.6-2.0) pm thick. Sporocysts are ovoid, 12.6 x 9.2 (12.0-13.8 X 8.5-10.0) pm, with L/W ratio of 1.37 (1.20-1.53), have a sporocyst residuum, and 2 comma-shaped sporozoites, each containing 2 spheroidal retractile bodies. Sporulation takes 1-3 days at room temperature. This is the second formal description of an Eimeria species parasitic in the order Peramelemorphia.