Choleoeimeria bunopusi, Al-Quraishy & Abdel-Baki & Al Otaibi, 2013

Al-Quraishy, Saleh, Abdel-Baki, Abdel Azeem S. & Al Otaibi, Mamdooh S. A., 2013, Choleoeimeria bunopusi sp. n. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) Infecting the Gall Bladder of the Tuberculated Gecko Bunopus tuberculatus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) from Saudi Arabia, Acta Protozoologica 52 (4), pp. 267-272 : 268

Choleoeimeria bunopusi sp. n. ( Figs 1–9 )

Mature oocysts were transparent and appeared ellipsoidal in shape ( Figs 1–5 , 9 ). They measured 31 ± 0.7 (30–33) × 21 ± 0.6 (20–22) µm with length/width ratio1.5 (1.4–1.6) µm. The oocyst wall was smooth, about 1.0 µm thick, colourless and with no micropyle or striations ( Figs 2–4 ). This wall was composed of two layers: an outer, very fine, membrane and a thicker inner one ( Figs 3, 4 ). There was no oocyst residuum or polar body. Each oocyst contained four dizoic sporocysts ( Figs 1–4 ). They were elliptical in shape with no Stieda body. These sprorocysts measured 12 ± 0.6 (11–13) × 7 ± 0.5 (6–8) µm length/width ratio 1.4 (1.3–1.6) µm. The sporozoites were banana-shaped ( Figs 4, 5 ) and measured 14 × 4 μm. Histological examination revealed all endogenous stages, including meronts, macrogamonts, and microgamonts in the gall bladder epithelium of infected lizards ( Figs 6–8 ). No endogenous stages were observed in other organs. Infected epithelial cells were displaced from the mucosa toward the lumen, usually maintaining contact with the basal membrane only by a thin pedicle ( Figs 7, 8 ). The hypertrophic parasitized biliary epithelium either remained in one layer ( Figs 6, 7 ) or became stratified ( Fig. 8 ). Mature meronts were nearly rounded to elliptical in shape, measured 16 (15– 17) × 12 (11–13) µm and were estimated to produce 9–15 merozoites ( Figs 6, 8 ). Mature microgamonts measured approximately 18 (17–19) × 15 (14–16) µm and were estimated to produce over 50 microgametes ( Fig. 7 ). Macrogamonts were mostly spherical and measured 16 (15–18) µm in diameter ( Fig. 8 ).

Figures

Figs 1–5. Photomicrographs of freshly collected oocysts of Choleoeimeria bunopusi sp. n. in different stages of development obtained from the gall bladder of Bunopus tuberculatus. Mature oocysts surrounded with outer layer (OL) and inner layer (IL) membrane and containing four sporocysts (S). Each sporocyst have two sporozoites (Sp) with sporocyst residuum (SR). Scale bars: 10 µm.

Figs 6–8. Endogenous stages of Choleoeimeria bunopusi sp. n. at different stages of development in the epithelium of the gall bladder of Bunopus tuberculatus. 6 – mature meront (M); 7 – microgamont (Mi); 8 – macrogamont (Ma). Arrows refer to the infected epithelial cells that remain in contact with the basal membrane by a thin pedicle. Scale bars: 10 μm.

Fig. 9. Composite line drawing of sporulated oocyst. Scale bar: 10 µm.