Coccidian Parasites (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Insectivores. III. Seven New Species in Shrews (Soricidae: Soricinae) from Canada, Japan, and the United States

Species of Coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) in Shrews From Alaska, U.S.A., and Northeastern Siberia, Russia, with Description of Two New Species

“…Three types were consistent with oocysts of previously recognized coccidia species from shrews: Eimeria inyoni, Eimeria vagrantis, and Isospora brevicauda, originally described from the inyo shrew (Sorex tenellus), dusky shrew (S. monticolus), and northern short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda), respectively (Hertel andDuszynski, 1987a, 1987b). These same coccidia were identified from infected shrews from Alaska and Siberia: E. inyoni from S. caecutiens, S.…”

“…The morphology of E. inyoni oocysts (n ϭ 289) from shrews in Alaska is similar to that provided by Hertel and Duszynski (1987a) for the same species collected and described in New Mexico, except that the oocysts and sporocysts measured in the original description were larger than those we measured (21.6 ϫ 19.3 and 11.9 ϫ 7.4 versus 17.9 ϫ 16.6 and 10.3 ϫ 5.9, respectively). Other key structural features, including multiple PBs in the oocyst and the presence of a SSB in the sporocyst, were the same.…”

“…Other key structural features, including multiple PBs in the oocyst and the presence of a SSB in the sporocyst, were the same. The only difference was that we observed 2 oocyst walls, while Hertel and Duszynski (1987a) and Milek and Seville (2003) both reported 1. Duszynski (2002) suggested that reports of oocysts having a single wall often are in error (based on numerous EM studies) and should be overlooked when comparing older descriptions.…”

“…first identified by Hertel and Duszynski (1987a), i.e., E. inyoni from the inyo shrew (S. tenellus) and E. brevicauda from B. brevicauda. Eimeria beringiacea differs from them by having slightly smaller oocysts (18 ϫ 16) than either E. inyoni (22 ϫ 19) or E. brevicauda (20 ϫ 20).…”

Coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) Infecting Cricetid Rodents from Alaska, U.S.A., and Northeastern Siberia, Russia, and Description of a New Eimeria Species from Myodes rutilus, the Northern Red-Backed Vole

“…In general, voles and lemmings aren't as social as sciurids; however, they utilize runways and create shallow burrows that multiple vole and lemming species use (Gromov and Polyakov, 1992). Hertel and Duszynski (1987) suggested that, at least for shrews, similar habitat conditions (runways and burrows) might be conducive to oocyst transmission. The similarity of habitat usage creates a flow of oocysts across multiple host species that might inhibit parasite speciation.…”