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 10-1985 Eimeria Species (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) Infecting Peromyscus Rodents in the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico with Description of a New Species David W. Reducker Montana State University Lynn Ann Hertel University of New Mexico 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 Reducker, David W.; Hertel, Lynn Ann; and Duszynski, Donald W., "Eimeria Species (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) Infecting Peromyscus Rodents in the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico with Description of a New Species" (1985). Faculty Publications from the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology. 169. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/parasitologyfacpubs/169 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. J. Parasit., 71(5), 1985, pp. 604-613 ? American Society of Parasitologists 1985 EIMERIASPECIES (APICOMPLEXA: EIMERIIDAE) INFECTING PEROMYSCUSRODENTS IN THESOUTHWESTERN UNITEDSTATES AND NORTHERNMEXICO WITHDESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES David W. Reduker*, L. Hertel, and D. W. Duszynski Department of Biology, The Universityof New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131 ABSTRACT: Of 198 deermice (Peromyscusspp.) collected from various localities in the southwesternUnited States and northern Mexico, 106 (54%) had eimerian oocysts in their feces when examined. These included 50 of 106 (47%) Peromyscus truei, 34 of 54 (63%) Peromyscus maniculatus, 4 of 17 (24%) Peromyscus leucopus, and 18 of 21 (86%) Peromyscus eremicus. The following Eimeria were identified from infected mice: Eimeria arizonensis and Eimeria langebarteli from P. truei; E. arizonensis, Eimeria peromysci, and Eimeria delicata from P. maniculatus; E. arizonensis and Eimeria lachrymalis n. sp. from P. eremicus; and E. langebarteli from P. leucopus. Of the 106 Peromyscus found positive for Eimeria, 97 (91.5%) harbored only a single eimerian species at the time of examination. Sporulated oocysts of E. lachrymalis n. sp. were ellipsoid, 27-35 x 17- 21 (30.8 ? 1.7 x 19.1-0.9) ,um, possessed a smooth wall and one polar granule, but lacked a micropyle and an oocyst residuum. Sporocysts were teardrop-shaped, 9-13 x 6-10 (10.9 ? 0.9 x 7.9 + 0.5) Mm,and had a Stieda body and sporocyst residuum, but no substieda body. Prepatent periods in experimental infections were 3-6 days after inoculation (DAI) for E. arizonensis (hosts: P. eremicus, P. maniculatus, P. truei); 4-5 DAI for E. peromysci (host: P. maniculatus); 6-9 DAI for E. langebarteli (hosts: P. truei, P. leucopus); and 8-10 DAI for E. lachrymalis (host: P. eremicus). Patency in these infections lasted 6-11 days for E. arizonensis, 5-10 days for E. peromysci, 14-40+ days for E. langebarteli, and 19-50+ days for E. lachrymalis. Eimeria lachrymalis appears to produce occult infections in P. eremicus that can be reactivated upon inoculation of the host with E. arizonensis. From 1979 to 1983, the deermice Peromyscus removed and slit lengthwise, and these were placed, truei, Peromyscus maniculatus, Peromyscus leu- with their contents, into vials of 2.5% aqueous (w/v) were processed for oocysts in the copus, and Peromyscus eremicus were collected K2Cr207. Samples laboratory by separating fecal contents from intestinal from various localities in Sonora and Baja Cal- tissue, filtering, incubating at room temperature (RT, ifornia, Mexico, southern California, Arizona, 22-23 C), and examining by coverslip flotation as de- and New Mexico, and examined for the presence scribed by Duszynski et al. (1982). Oocysts were mea- of coccidian oocysts in their feces. Five Eimeria sured with an ocular micrometer and photographed with Panatomic-X 35 mm film with a Zeiss Universal were found these 4 of which spp. infecting hosts, Photomicroscope equipped with Neofluor and No- have been previously described, and 1 that is marski-interference 100x objective lenses. All mea- described here as new. We also include data on surements are given in ,m with means + 1 SD follow- prepatent and patent periods for 4 Eimeria spp. ing the ranges. Eimeria spp. with morphologically similar were examined statistically using infecting hosts. Because detailed in- oocysts Peromyscus Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) along formation on oocyst structure and/or photomi- with Duncan's Multiple Range Test from the Statistical crographs are lacking for previously described Analysis Systems (SAS) package on the University of Peromyscus eimerians, redescriptions and pho- New Mexico IBM 360 computer. and were determined for tomicrographs of the oocysts are also provided. Prepatent patent periods the Eimeria spp. through laboratory inoculation ex- MATERIALSAND METHODS periments. Before inoculation, Peromyscus spp. were suspended in wire cages over pans of K2Cr207 so their Hosts were live-trapped and either taken to the lab- feces could be collected and examined several times oratory for later inoculation experiments or killed with- for oocysts. If negative, hosts were ether-anesthetized When the abdom- in a few hours after capture. killed, and inoculated by gavage with sporulated oocysts of inal cavity was opened, the colon and cecum were the appropriate Eimeria spp. isolated from field sam- ples. Infected mice were kept in hanging cages and given food and water ad lib. Feces were collected daily Received 27 September 1984; revised 3 January 1985; at about the same hour and examined for the presence accepted 3 January 1985. of unsporulated oocysts. Once patency started, fecal * Present address: Veterinary Research Laboratory, suspensions containing oocysts were homogenized, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana strained through 40-, and 60-mesh wire screens, and 59717. placed in a closed glass container at RT through which 604 REDUKERET AL.-EIMERIANS OF PEROMYSCUS 605 forcedair was bubbledgently to agitateand aeratethe myscus truei truei (Shufeldt),P. maniculatus rufinus oocysts. (Merriam). Locality: See Table I. RESULTS Prevalence:In 8 of 18 (45%)infected P. eremicus, 25 of 34 (75%)infected P. maniculatus,and 18 of 50 Peromyscus and Eimeria spp., along with col- (36%)infected P. truei. lection localities, are presented in Table I. Site of infection:Unknown, oocysts recoveredfrom intestinalcontents. Four to 6 DAI in P. Eimeria peromysci Prepatentperiod: eremicus, 3 to 4 DAI in P. 3 to 4 DAI in P. truei (Figs. 1, 2) maniculatus, (all experimental). Description:As given by Levine et al. (1957). Patentperiod: Six to 11 days in P. eremicus,9 to 11 Host: Peromyscusmaniculatus rufinus (Merriam). days in P. maniculatus,9 to 11 days in P. truei (all Locality:See Table I. experimental). Prevalence:In 3 of 34 (9%)infected P. maniculatus. Site of infection:Unknown, oocysts recoveredfrom Eimeria langebarteli intestinalcontents. (Figs. 7-10, 17) Prepatentperiod: Four to 5 DAI in P. maniculatus Description:Oocysts ellipsoid with 1 obvious,smooth (experimental). wall, 0.8-1.2 (0.9 ? 0.2), lacking a micropyle; 1 to 2 Patent period: Five to 10 days in P. maniculatus polar granules,dumbbell-shaped (common) to ellip- (experimental). soid or irregular(rare); no oocyst residuum;sporulated Comments: This species was originally described oocysts(n = 215) 16-26 x 11-17 (21.0 ?+2.6 x 13.4 ? from P. truei in Arizona. 1.3)with L:Wratio 1.34-1.83 (1.57 ? 0.11), sporocysts (n = 215) ellipsoid, 7-12 x 4-7 (9.8 ? 0.9 x 5.5 + Eimeria arizonensis 0.6) with L:Wratio 1.41-2.31 (1.79 ? 0.18), sporocyst (Figs. 3-6, 16) wall thin and delicate, Stieda body often appearing Eimeria arizonensisLevine, Ivens, and Kruidenier, unattacheddue to the thinness of wall; Stieda body 1957, oocysts were found in the feces of infected P. small (0.8 x 1.4);'knob-like' in shape, substiedabody eremicus,P. maniculatus,and P. truei. These oocysts absent;sporocyst residuum varies from small, homog- were similar in size and generalcharacteristics to the enous globule,to 1 or 2 tight clustersof small granules, originaldescription and drawingsof E. arizonensisbut to tiny granulesdispersed in sporocyst;sporocyst re- a few differencesdid exist. Data presentedhere will be siduum often obscuredby sporozoites;sporozoite cy- a redescriptionof E. arizonensisfrom P. truei and P. toplasm 'grainy,'with an obvious posteriorrefractile maniculatus, and a description from a new host, P. body (2.4 x 3.2); oocyst: sporocystL:L ratio 1.76-2.55 eremicus.Oocysts from these 3 hosts are qualitatively (2.16 ? 0.21); oocyst: sporocystW:W ratio 1.88-3.18 similar but do vary slightly in sporocyst length and (2.46 + 0.23). width (Table II). Levine and Ivens (1960, 1963) also Hosts:Peromyscus leucopus tornillo Meams, and P. recognizedslight morphologicaldifferences in E. ari- truei truei (Shufeldt). zonensis oocysts from P. truei,P. maniculatus,and P. Locality:See Table I. leucopus,but did not considerthem sufficientto war- Prevalence:In 4 of 4 (100%)infected P. leucopus, rant elevation of each form to specific status. Because and 19 of 50 (38%)infected P. truei. no cross-transmissionexperiments were done with E. Site