University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Faculty Publications from the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology Parasitology, Harold W. Manter Laboratory of 1994 A New Coccidian (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) in the Northern Pocket Gopher (Thomomys talpoides) and a Comparison of Oocyst Survival in Hosts from Radon-Rich and Radon-Poor Soils P. G. Wilber University of New Mexico K. McBee Oklahoma State University D. J. Hafner New Mexico Museum of Natural History Donald W. Duszynski University of New Mexico, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/parasitologyfacpubs Part of the Parasitology Commons Wilber, P. G.; McBee, K.; Hafner, D. J.; and Duszynski, Donald W., "A New Coccidian (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) in the Northern Pocket Gopher (Thomomys talpoides) and a Comparison of Oocyst Survival in Hosts from Radon-Rich and Radon-Poor Soils" (1994). Faculty Publications from the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology. 191. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/parasitologyfacpubs/191 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Parasitology, Harold W. Manter Laboratory of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications from the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. journal of Wildlife Diseases, 30(3). 1994. pp. 359-364 C Wildlife Disease Association 1994 A NEW COCCIDIAN (APICOMPLEXA: EIMERIIDAE) IN THE NORTHERN POCKET GOPHER (THOMOMYS TALPOIDES) AND A COMPARISON OF OOCYST SURVIVAL IN HOSTS FROM RADON-RICH AND RADON-POOR SOILS P. G. Wilber, K. McBee,2 D. J. Hafner,3 and D. W. Duszynski1 Department of Biology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA 2 Department of Zoology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, USA New Mexico Museum of Natural History, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104, USA ABSTRACT: Forty (93%) of 43 northern pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides) from the Jemez Mountains, Sandoval County, New Mexico (USA), had coccidian oocysts in their feces when examined. We describe this parasite, Eimeria jemezi, n. sp. Sporulated oocysts were subspheroidal, 13.3 by 12.2 (10 to 17 by 9 to 15) m, with sporocysts ellipsoidal, 7.1 by 4.4 (5 to 9 by 4 to 5) jim; micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but polar bodies, Stieda bodies and sporocyst residua were present. All gophers were collected from two sites of similar habitat 7 km apart. One site (R+) had a high soil radon content (50 to 70 picocuries (pCi) per liter of air) whereas the other site (R-) had soils that were near average natural levels (1.2 to 1.6 pCi/g uranium nucleotides per gram of soil; <1.9 pCi/g thorium nucleotides). Twenty-one (88%) of 24 gophers from the R+ site had coccidian oocysts in their intestines when examined, but none of these oocysts ever sporulated, whereas all 19 (100%) gophers from the R- site had coccidian oocysts in their intestines and 16 (84%) of these samples sporulated normally under laboratory conditions. The elevated radon content of the soil may have had an adverse effect on the sporulation of this coccidian while it still was intracellular within its host. Key words: Coccidia, Eimeria jemezi, Thomomys talpoides, radon. INTRODUCTION on El Cajete pumice (El Cajete member of the Valles rhyolite), with concentrations of radon- The northern pocket gopher (Thomo- producing thorium and uranium 4 to 5 times mys talpoides) has the widest distribution that of average soils (Self et al., 1988). The high- of any pocket gopher, ranging from Al- ly permeable nature of this pumice provided berta to New Mexico and Arizona (USA) pathways for migration and accumulation of radon gas, and radon concentrations of 50 to (Chase et a!., 1984). In New Mexico it is 70 picocuries (pCi) per liter of air have been restricted to higher elevations in the north- recorded from the living space of buildings con- ern half of the state. It occurs from about structed on this pumice using charcoal radon the ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) zone test canisters (Manchengo et al., 1991). The upward to the highest elevations where Environmental Protection Agency has recom- soils are sufficiently friable for burrowing mended 4 pCi/l as a guideline for annual av- erage exposure to radon for humans (Ronca- activity (Findley, 1987). As pant of a larger Battista et al., 1987). Radon concentrations study to determine the effects of radon- inside the plugged burrows of gophers would rich (R+) soils on T. talpoides, we com- be at least as high, and probably much higher, pared coccidian infections in gophers than levels measured inside the relatively well- ventilated living spaces of buildings. trapped in a R + site to those trapped in a Nineteen gophers were trapped on 6 July 1991 nearby radon-poor (R-) site in the Jemez at a R- site, 7 km from the R+ site, 4.8 km Mountains of New Mexico. We also de- north, 17.7 km east of Jemez Springs, Sandoval scribe a new species of Eimeria. County, New Mexico (USA) (35#{176}49’N, 106#{176}30’W) from 4 to 6 July 1991. The R- site is on andesite of the Paliza Canyon formation. Radionucleo- MATERIALS AND METHODS tide levels at the R- site were determined from Twenty-four gophers were collected with kill- gamma spectrometric measurements of five 2-kg traps from July 4 to 5 from one R+ site located soil samples collected from mounds pushed up at El Cajete crater, 8.0 km north, 11.3 km east by gopher burrowing activity. Soil assays were of Jemez Springs, Sandoval County, New Mex- conducted at the Department of Physics at the ico (USA) (35#{176}50’N, 106#{176}34’W). The R+ site is New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technol- 359 360 JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES, VOL. 30, NO.3, JULY 1994 ogy, Socorro, New Mexico using a gamma spec- quency of oocyst sporulation between the trometry system, with EG&G ORTEC GMX H + and H - sites were significant (P < series gamma X-ray high purity germanium 0.001). (EG&G ORTECH, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA), and analyzed with VAX/VMS Spectroscopy Ap- All coccidian oocysts recovered from plication software (Canberra Nuclear Products hosts taken from the R- site, that later Group, Nuclear Data Systems, Schaumburg, Il- sponulated, appeared to represent a new linois, USA). Uranium series radionuclide con- species. centrations were assessed using 210Pb, 21Pb, and 214Bi gamma energies, assuming equilibrium Elmerla jemezi n. sp. conditions; thorium series radionuclide concen- trations were assessed using 2#{176}8Tl,212Pb, and Ac Oocyst spheroidal to subspheroidal (Figs. gamma energies, assuming equilibrium condi- 1 to 5), wall about 1.0, composed of two tions. Based on five samples each, values for layers: outer smooth, yellow, about three- uranium series concentrations (1 = 1.5 pCi/g; quarters of total thickness (Fig. 1); inner range = 1.4 to 1.7 pCi/g) and thorium series smooth, light yellow; concentrations (1 = 1.7 pCi/g; range = 1.6 to micropyle and oocyst 1.9 pCi/g) were close to the upper range for residuum absent; 0 to 3 (usually 1) polar typical soils (1.4 pCi/g) (M. Wasiolek, pens. bodies (1 to 3 by 1 to 2) present, highly comm.). Further, the higher density of soil at ref nactile (transmitted light) (Fig. 2); spon- the R- site would normally result in lower ra- ulated oocysts (n = 50) 13.3 by 12.2 (10 to don gas migration and accumulation (Man- 17 by 9 chengo et al., 1991). Thus, radon gas concen- to 15) with length to width (L- trations in gopher burrows at the R+ site would W) ratio 1.1 (1.0 to 1.3); sporocysts ellip- be at least 4 to 5 times higher than those at the soidal, 7.1 by 4.4 (5 to 9 by 4 to 5) with R- site, which are closer to average soil con- L/W ratio 1.6 (1.3 to 2.2); Stieda body centrations. present (Figs. 3 and 4), but sub- and pana- Fresh fecal samples were collected from the lower bowel of each gopher during necropsy stieda bodies absent; sporocyst residuum a and stored in 2% aqueous (w/v) K2Cr2O7. All rosette on several scattered granules (Figs. methods for preparing, sporulating, and storing 3 and 4); sporozoites each with a large fecal samples, and for concentrating, measur- posterior refractile body and these orient ing, and photographing oocysts were as de- at the top and bottom of the sponocyst scribed by Duszynski et al. (1982) and Stout and Duszynski (1983), and were identical for both (Figs. 3 to 5). sites. Measurements are in jim with size ranges The oocysts were found in the northern in parentheses following the means. Oocysts were pocket gopher (Thomomys talpoides) in measured when they were 188 days old. Sig- Sandoval County, New Mexico, 4.8 km nificance of sporulation rate between the R+ north, 17.7 km east of Jemez Springs. The and R- sites was computed using the Fisher Exact Test (Zar, 1984). We have deposited a site of infection within the host is unknown phototype (Bandoni and Duszynski, 1988) of a because the oocysts were collected from sporulated oocyst in the U.S. National Museum, feces. The nomen triviale is derived from Beltsville, Maryland, Parasite Collection the collection locality. (USNMPC 82825). A symbiotype (see Frey et al., 1992) (host skin + skeleton) has been de- DISCUSSION posited at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History (NMMNH 1645). Sporulated oocysts of E. jemezi resem- bled those of Eimeria thomomysis (Levine RESULTS et a!., 1957) from Thomomys bottae ful- At the R + site, 21(88%) of 24 gophers vus in Arizona; Eimeria geomydis (Skid- had oocysts of a single morphotype, but more, 1929) from Geomys bursarius in none of the oocysts recovered from the Nebraska, Illinois, and Missouri (USA) and intestinal contents of these hosts sporulat- from Geomys breviceps and Geomys tex- ed.