PT Journal
AU McAllister, TC
   Duszynski, WD
   Fisher, NR
   Austin, CC
TI Four new species of coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Owen Stanley skinks, Papuascincus stanleyanus (Sauria: Scincidae), from Papua New Guinea
SO Folia Parasitologica
PY 2014
BP 195
EP 200
VL 61
IS 3
DI 10.14411/fp.2014.018
DE Coccidia; Eimeria; taxonomy; oocysts; hosts; Reptilia
AB Between September and November 1991, 12 Owen Stanley skinks, Papuascincus stanleyanus (Booulenger) were collected from various localities on Papua New Guinea and examined for coccidians. Six (50%) were found to harbour four eimerians that we describe here as new. Oocysts of Eimeria burseyi sp. n. were elongate to ellipsoidal with a bilayered wall and measured (length * width, L * W) 36.0 * 24.0 um, with a L/W ratio of 1.5. Both micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but a polar granule was present. Oocysts of Eimeria goldbergi sp. n. were ellipsoidal, with a bilayered wall, and measured 21.4 * 16.1 um; L/W ratio was 1.3. Both micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but a single or fragmented polar granule was present. Oocysts of Eimeria boulengeri sp. n. were spheroidal to slightly subspheroidal, with a thin, single-layered wall that readily collapses, and measured 16.0 um, L/W ratio was 1.0. Both micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but usually one (sometimes two) polar granule(s) were present. Oocysts of Eimeria niuginiensis sp. n. were oblong to tapered with a bilayered wall, and measured 20.0 * 13.1 um; L/W ratio was 1.5. A micropyle, oocyst residuum and polar granule were absent. To our knowledge, these represent the only coccidians ever described from P. stanleyanus.
ER