Protistology 4 (3) 203-206 (2006)
Eimeria indiana (Apicomplexa, Sporozoea), a new eimerian species from the hen,
Gallus gallus domesticus (Aves, Phasianidae), in India
Probir K. Bandyopadhyay, Jatindra N. Bhakta and Roli Shukla
Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani,
Kalyani, West Bengal, India
Summary
Twenty-five out of eighty (31.25%) hens, Gallus gallus domesticus L., had oocysts of an
Eimeria species described here as a new species, Eimeria indiana. Mature oocysts are
egg-shaped or ellipsoidal, measuring 23.45 μm(20.88-25.2) × 18.74 μm(16.2-21.6);
the shape index (length/width) is 1.25. The oocyst wall (1.08 μm) is bi-layered and
both the layers exhibit smooth surface. A prominent oval polar granule is present but
there is no micropyle or oocyst residuum. Sporocysts, four in number, are ovoid to
elongated, measuring 10.26 μm (6.4-10.8) × 5.83 μm (4.6-7.2); the shape index is 1.75.
A steida body is present in each of the four sporocysts. Sporocyst residuum is present
in the form of uniform granules scattered randomly. Sporozoites measuring 7.2 × 3.6
μm are crescent or banana shaped, lying length-wise in head to tail pattern.
Key words: Coccidia, poultry, hen, Eimeria indiana sp. nov., Gangetic Bengal, India
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