Two new species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Asian geoemydid turtles Kachuga tentoria and Melanochelys trijuga (Testudines: Geoemydidae)

Abstract

Coprological examination of ten Pink-ringed tent turtles Kachuga tentoria circumdata, recently imported from India, and three Burmese black turtles Melanochelys trijuga edeniana, imported from Myanmar, revealed the presence of two new species of Eimeria. Oocysts of Eimeria kachua n. sp. from K. t. circumdata are broadly oval to subspherical, 15.3 (13-18) × 13.9 (12-16) μm, with polar granule and subspherical oocyst residuum. Sporocyst elongatelly oval to spindle-shaped, 8.7 (7.5-10) × 4.9 (4-6) μm, with a knoblike Stieda body, covered with fine membranous cupola-like structures. Thin walled oocysts of Eimeria patta n. sp. from M. t. edeniana, have an irregular shape, influenced by the position of sporocysts, frequently with lobular irregularities, 12.6 (11-16) × 9.1 (7.5-12) μm. Sporocysts are oval to ellipsoidal, 5.8 (5-7) × 4.2 (3.5-5) μm.

Keywords

• Coccidia
• Apicomplexa
• Eimeria
• taxonomy
• Geoemydidae
• Kachuga
• Melanochelys