Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A new coccidian (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae), from midland brown snake, Storeria dekayi wrightorum Trapido (Ophidia: Colubridae) from Arkansas, USA

  • Published:
Systematic Parasitology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A new species of coccidian (Protista: Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) collected from the faeces of a midland brown snake Storeria dekayi wrightorum Trapido (Ophidia: Colubridae) in Arkansas, USA, is described. Oöcysts of Isospora holbrooki n. sp. are subspherical to ovoidal with a smooth, colourless, bi-layered wall, measure on average 27.1 × 24.0 µm, and have a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.1; both micropyle and oöcyst residuum are absent, but a polar granule is present. Sporocysts are ovoidal, 14.8 × 10.0 µm on average (L/W 1.5); the Stieda body is nipple-like, the sub-Stieda body is ellipsoidal and the sporocyst residuum is composed of coarse granules in a cluster. Sporozoites have a spheroidal anterior refractile body, a subspheroidal posterior refractile body, and one centrally-located nucleus. This is the first description of an isosporan from the snake genus Storeria Baird & Girard as well as the largest oöcysts and sporocysts of any previous snake isosporan to date.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Asmundsson, I. M., Upton, S. J., & Freed, P. S. (2001). Five new species of coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from colubrid snakes of Ecuador. Journal of Parasitology, 87, 1077–1081.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Christman, S. P. (1982). Storeria dekayi. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles, Salt Lake City: Zen Scientist.com, LLC, 306.1–306.4.

  • Conant, R., & Collins, J. T. (1998). A field guide to reptiles and amphibians of eastern and central North America, 3rd ed. (expanded). Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 616 pp.

  • Davronov, O. (1985). Coccidiae of reptiles from southern Uzbekistan. Parasitologiya, 19, 158–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duszynski, D. W., & Upton, S. J. (2009). The biology of the coccidia (Apicomplexa) of snakes of the world: A scholarly handbook for identification and treatment. http://www.CreateSpace.com. 422 pp.

  • Ernst, C. H., & Barbour, R. W. (1989). Snakes of eastern North America. Fairfax: George Mason University Press, 282 pp.

  • Ernst, C. H., & Ernst, E. M. (2006). Synopsis of the helminths endoparasitic in snakes of the United States and Canada. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Herpetological Circular, 34, 1–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graczyk, T. K., Cranfield, M. R., & Hill, S. L. (1996). Therapeutic efficacy of halofuginone and spiramycin treatment against Cryptosporidium serpentis (Apicomplexa: Cryptosporiidae) infections in captive snakes. Parasitology Research, 82, 143–148.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, T. R. (2000). The amphibians and reptiles of Missouri. Second edition. Jefferson City: Missouri Department of Conservation, 400 pp.

  • Matuschka, F.-R. (1986). Isospora colubris n. sp. from the western whip snake, Coluber viridiflavus (Serpentes: Colubridae). Zeitschrift für Parasitenkunde, 72, 549–551.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McAllister, C. T., Robison, H. W., Seville, R. S., Roehrs, A. P., & Trauth, S. E. (2011). Caryospora duszynskii (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the speckled kingsnake, Lampropeltis holbrooki (Reptilia: Ophidia), in Arkansas, with a summary of previous reports. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, 65, 176–179.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • McAllister, C. T., Seville, R. S., & Connior, M. B. (2015a). A new species of Isospora (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from eastern coachwhip, Coluber flagellum flagellum (Reptilia: Ophidia) from Oklahoma. Acta Parasitologica, 60, 466–470.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McAllister, C. T., Seville, R. S., & Connior, M. B. (2015b). A new host for Caryospora lampropeltis (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the eastern hognose snake, Heterodon platirhinos (Ophidia: Colubroidea: Dipsadinae), from Arkansas, U.S.A., with a summary of hosts of this coccidian. Comparative Parasitology, 82, 151–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pinto, C., & Maciel, J. (1929). “Eimeria arnaldoi” e “Isospora neivai”, especies novas de Eimeridiasdo Brasil (Protozoa: Sporozoa). Revista Médico-Cirurcoica do Brasil, 37, 206–210.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sievert, G., & Sievert, L. (2011). A field guide to Oklahoma’s amphibians and reptiles. Oklahoma City: Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, 211 pp.

  • Trauth, S. E., Robison, H. W., & Plummer, M. V. (2004). The amphibians and reptiles of Arkansas. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 421 pp.

  • Upton, S. J., & McAllister, C. T. (1990). The Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) of Serpentes, with descriptions of three new species from colubrid snakes. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 68, 855–864.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Upton, S. J., McAllister, C. T., Trauth, S. E., & Bibb, D. K. (1992). Description of two new species of coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriorina) from flat-headed snakes, Tantilla gracilis (Serpentes: Colubridae) and reclassification of misnomer species within the genera Isospora and Sarcocystis from snakes. Transactions of the American Microscopical Society, 111, 50–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wacha, R. S., & Christiansen, J. L. (1974). Systematics of the eimerian parasites from North American snakes of the family Colubridae, and their prevalence in the colubrids of Iowa. Journal of Protozoology, 21, 483–489.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wacha, R. S., & Christiansen, J. L. (1975). Isosporan parasites from North American snakes. Journal of Protozoology, 22 (Abstract 132), 46A.

  • Wilber, P. G., Duszynski, D. W., Upton, S. J., Seville, R. S., & Corliss, J. O. (1998). A revision of the taxonomy and nomenclature of the Eimeria spp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from rodents in the Tribe Marmotini (Sciuridae). Systematic Parasitology, 39, 113–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yakimoff, W. L., & Gousseff, W. F. (1935). On the coccidia of shrews, grass-snakes, and lizards. Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society, 55, 170–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yakimoff, W. L., & Matschoulsky, S. N. (1937). Isospora guersae n. sp., eine neue Schlangenkokzidie. Zentralblatt für Bakteriologie, Parasitenkunde Infektionshrankheiten und Hygiene, Abteilung I. Originale, 138, 302.

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Drs Scott L. Gardner (HWML) and Renn Tumlison (HSU) for expert curatorial assistance.

Funding

This study was supported, in part, by a grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (8P20GM103432-12), National Institutes of Health (NIH) to R.S. Seville. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Science and Mathematics Division, Eastern Oklahoma State College, Idabel, OK, 74745, USA

    Chris T. McAllister

  2. Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Casper, WY, 82601, USA

    R. Scott Seville

  3. Life Sciences, Northwest Arkansas Community College, Bentonville, AR, 72712, USA

    Matthew B. Connior

Authors
  1. Chris T. McAllister
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. Scott Seville
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Matthew B. Connior
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chris T. McAllister.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All applicable institutional, national and international guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. Scientific Collecting Permits were provided to CTM and MBC by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (permit numbers 031120151 and 090820141) and to CTM by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (permit number 6141).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

McAllister, C.T., Seville, R.S. & Connior, M.B. A new coccidian (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae), from midland brown snake, Storeria dekayi wrightorum Trapido (Ophidia: Colubridae) from Arkansas, USA. Syst Parasitol 93, 77–82 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-015-9606-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-015-9606-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation