Morphological and molecular characterization of Eimeria haematodi, coccidian parasite (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) in a rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus)

摘要

Eimeria haematodi was first described in 1977 from the rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus) in Papua New Guinea. In the present study, we re-describe this coccidian species morphologically and molecularly from a rainbow lorikeet bird in Western Australia (WA). The oocysts were ovoid to slightly piriform and measured 28.5-37.8 by 25.8-33.0 mu m (33.3 by 28.1 mu m). Oocyst wall was approximately 1.5 mu m thick and bilayered. Micropyle (5-7 mu m) and oocyst residuum (8.0-10.0 mu m) present; polar granule was absent. Sporocysts ellipsoidal, 11.8-13.6 by 8.0-9.6 mu m (12.2 by 8.3 mu m), with thin convex Stieda body and granular sporocyst residuum (4.0-5.0 mu m). Molecular characterization of E. haematodi was conducted at 18S ribosomal RNA and the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase gene (COI) loci. At the 18S ribosomal RNA locus, E. haematodi shared 98.1% genetic similarity to E. alabamensis from cattle in New South Wales, Australia. At COI locus, E. haematodi was closest (92.3% similarity) to E. praecox from domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) from Canada and China. Crown Copyright (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.