Description of Caryospora colubris sp.n. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the western whip snake, Coluber viridiflavus (Serpentes: Colubridae) '

FRANZ RAINER MATUSCHKA lnstitut fur Angewandte Zoologie der Freien Universitiit Berlin, Haderslebener Str. 9, 1000 Berlin 41, Germany

MATUSCHKA, F. R. 1984. Description of Caryospora colubris sp.n. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the western whip snake, Coluber viridiflavus (Serpentes: Colubridae). Can. J . Zool. 62: 1525 - 1527.

A new coccidian parasite of the genus Caryospora is described from the western whip snake (Coluber viridiflavus). The size of the spherical to slightly subspherical oocysts from Caryospora colubris n.sp. range from 16.2 to 27.9 pm and do not possess micropyle or oocyst residuum. The ovoid sporocysts are 13.2- 19.1 pm long and 10.3- 14.7 pm wide. The sporocyst residuum and a distinct Stieda body are present. The oocyst wall is approximately 1 pm thick. The sporulation is completed in about 48-72 h at 23 + 2°C. Within the given range the oocysts could be subdivided into three categories of size as follows. The predominating part of oocysts measured ca. 25.7 (23.5 -27.9) pm, while usually less than 10% were 20.8 (20.6-22.1) pm or 17.4 (16.2-18.2) pm. The corresponding measurements of sporocysts were 17.9 (17.6-19.1) X 12.7 (1 1.8-14.7) pm; 15.0 (14.7-16.2) x 11.8 and 14.5 (13.2-14.7) X 11.0 (10.3-1 1.8) pm.

MATUSCHKA, F. R. 1984. Description of Caryospora colubris sp.n. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the western whip snake, Coluber viridijlavus (Serpentes: Colubridae). Can. J . Zool. 62: 1525 - 1527.

On trouvera ici la description d'une nouvelle coccidie, Caryospora colubris n. sp., parasite du colubridk Coluber viridi- flavus. Les oocystes sont sphkriques ou Ikgkrement subsphkriques et mesurent 16,2-27,9 pm; ils ne posskdent pas de micropyle ou de rksiduum d'oocyste. Les sporocystes ovoiides mesurent 13,2- 19,l pm de longueur et 10,3- 14,7 pm de largeur; il y a un rksiduum de sporocyste et un corps de Stieda bien distinct. La paroi de l'oocyste mesure environ 1 pm d'kpaisseur. La sporulation dure environ 48-72 h a 23 * 2°C. Les oocystes peuvent &re subdivisks en trois catkgories selon leur taille. La majoritk des oocystes mesurent environ 25,7 (23,5-27,9) pm et moins de 10% des oocystes mesurent 20,8 (20,6-22,l) pm ou 17,4 (1 6,2- 18,2) pm. I1 y a kgalement trois catkgories de sporocystes dans les memes proportions: 17,9 (17,6- 19,l) x 12,7 (1 1,8- 14,7) pm, 15'0 (14,7- 16,2) X 11'8 pm et 14,5 (13,2- 14,7) X 11,O (10,3- 11,8) pm.

[Traduit par le journal]

Introduction Caryospora colubris n . s p. Figs. 1-6 Species of the genus Caryospora Leger, 1904, have not been TYPE HOST: Western whip snake, Coluber virid@7avus Lace-

described from the western whip snake, Coluber viridijlavus pede, 1789. Lacepede, 1789. The only known species of Caryospora para- TYPE LOCALITY: Sicily, Italy. sitizing the genus Coluber is Caryospora zuckermanae found ETYMOLOGY: The new species name reflects the generic name in Coluber ravergieri nummifer (Bray 1960). Other Carvo- of the host. spora species hav; been recorded from different genera of the Description fanlily Colubridae (cf. Pellerdy 1974; Matuschka 1982). In the Unsporulated and sporulated oocysts spherical to slightly present investigation a Caryospora species is reported for the subspherical; 16.2 to 27.9 pm (n = 100); wall bilayered, first time from the western whip snake Coluber viridif7avus smooth and about pm thick; micropyle, oocyst residuum, and Lacepede, 1789, and described herein as a new species. polar granule absent; contains characteristic arrangement of

Material and methods genus ( 1 sporocyst with 8 sporozoites). sporocyst with thin, smooth wall; 13.2- 19.1 x 10.3- 14.7 pm (n = 100); Stieda

Three adult males the snake, body present, discoidal and of uniform thickness; substieda Coluber viridflavus, from Sicily, Italy, were the source of the Cave- body present; sporocyst residuum present, compose^ of cluster spora oocysts. Fecal samples were screened routinely for parasites using ZnC12-NaC1 flotation. For sporulation oocysts were harvested of several spherical bodies.

from feces by centrifugation with the flotation solution. Subsequently, Within the given range the parasites could be subdivided into oocysts were washed in water and kept at room temperature three different categories of size as follows. Usually almost (23 * 2°C) in -2.5% potassium dichromate solution. After spar- 90% of the excreted oocysts measured ca. 25.7 (23.5 -27.9) ulation, the oocysts were stored at 4°C During the study the snakes were fed with laboratory mice nestlings.

Microscopic observations were made with the aid of a Leitz Dialux 20 equipped with planapochromatic objectives. Measurements were made with a calibrated eyepiece. Photographs were taken using llford Pan F 135 films.

Results Three naturally infected western whip snakes, Coluber viri-

diflavus, excreted unsporulated oocysts of the genus Caryo- spora over a period of more than 8 months. Sporulation of the oocysts was completed within 48-72 h at 23 + 2°C. The size of the oocysts ranged from 16.2 to 27.9 pm.

'This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsge- meinschaft.

pm (n = 50), about 10% were 20.8 (20.6-22.1) pm (n = 25), and ca. 1% measured 17.4 (16.2-18.2) km (n = 25). The corresponding measurements of the sporocysts were 17.9 (17.6- 19.1) x 12.7 ( 1 1.8- 14.7) pm; 15.0 (14.7- 16.2) x 11.7 pmand 14.5 (13.2-14.7) x ll.O(l0.3-11.8) pm. The mean for a mixture of them is not appropriate since every fecal sample taken from the three snakes revealed a different combi- nation of the three oocyst categories.

SPORULATION TIME: Most oocysts were sporulated after 48-72 h at 23 + 2°C.

LOCATION IN HOST: Unknown; oocysts found in feces. PREVALENCE: Present in all three C. virid@avus from Sicily.

Remarks Caryospora zuckermanae is the only described Caryospora

species from snakes of the genus Coluber (Bray 1960;

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CAN. J . ZOOL. VOL. 62. 1984

FIG. 1 . Sporulated oocyst of Caryospora colubris (unstained). SW, sporocyst wall; SB, Stieda body. 2400x. FIG. 2. Sporulated oocyst of Caryospora colubris (unstained). Differential interference contrast illumination. OW, oocyst wall; SR. sporocyst residuum; SP, sporozoite. 2400x . FIG. 3. Sporozoite (unstained). Differential interference contrast illumination. N, nucleus. 2400 x . F a . 4. Sporozoite (unstained). N, nucleus. 2400 X .

FIG. 5. Schematic drawing of sporulated oocyst of Cayospora col- FIG. 6. Schematic drawing of sporulated oocyst of Cayospora col- ubris, lateral aspect of sporocyst. 3400 X . ubris; sporocyst turned upside down. 3400x.

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MATUSCHKA 1527

Matuschka 1982) and differs from C. colubris in size and in the appearance of the oocyst wall, which has been described for C . zuckermanae as resembling crumpled cellophane, while the oocyst wall of C . colubris is smooth. The oocysts of C . zuckermanae have been reported to be only 16.7 ( 15 - 18) pm in diameter while those of C . colubris are 16.2 to 27.9 pm. The conclusion to describe a new Caryospora species is mainly based on the size and appearance of the oocysts and sporocysts but also on the host of Carvospora colubris. Besides the differ- ences in oocyst size and appearance compared with all other hitherto described Caryospora, the differences in hosts and geographical locations also indicate that C . colubris should be considered as a new species (as reviewed by Matuschka 1982). Despite the three size categories that were found in C . colubris, it is assumed that the newly described Caryospora is only one

species, because all three categories occurred in every fecal sample of the naturally infected C . viridiflavus although in different combinations. In order not to draw a wrong conclu- sion an average was not calculated.

BRAY. R. S. 1960. On the parasitic Protozoo of Liberia. 111. Three new species of Caryosporo Lkger, 1904, from the hissing sand snake Psommophis sibilons phillipsi and a note on a Cnvosporo in Coluber rovergieri nummifer from Israel. J . Protozool. 7: 314-320.

MATUSCHKA, F. R. 1982. Cnryospora nc~jae sp.n. (Apicomplexa: Sporozoea, Eimeriidae) from the spitting cobra, Nnjo nigricollis pollido (Serpentes: Elapidae). J . Parasitol. 68: 1 149- 1 153.

PELLERDY, L. P. 1974. Coccidia and coccidiosis. 2nd ed. Verlag Paul Parey . Hamburg.

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