Caryospora matatu n. sp., a new coccidian parasite (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the horned bush-viper, Atheris ceratophorus Werner, 1895 from Tanzania

Abstract

Caryospora matatu n. sp. is the first species of coccidia reported from the a horned bush viper, Atheris ceralophorus endemic to Tanzania. Oocysts are spherical or slightly subspherical, 19.8 (16-23) µm, a micropyle and an oocyst residuum are absent, a single polar granule is present. An oocyst wall is bilayered, ~ 1.5 µm thick, brownish and distinctly pitted. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal, 15.6 (12.5-17.0) x 10.1 (8-12) µm, tightly fitting an internal oocyst diameter, Stieda and substieda bodies are present. An experimental inoculation of SCID mice did not confirm a facultatively heteroxenous life cycle in the studied coccidium. Morphology and evolutionary history of Caryospora species from viperids is is reviewed and discussed.

Keywords

• Coccidia
• Apicomplexa
• Caryospora matatu n. sp.
• taxonomy
• Serpentes
• Atheris ceratophorus
• Tanzania