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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 |im(20.88-25.2) + 18.74 |im(16.2-21.6); the shape index (length/width) is 1.25. The oocyst wall (1.08 |im) 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 |im (6.4-10.8) + 5.83 |im (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 |im 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
Introduction
The ancestors of the hen originated in Southeast Asia and have been extensively bred for size, colour patterns, conformation and egg laying ability during a long history of domestication (Banerjee, 1991). Unfortunately, these birds are subject to a malady, coccidiosis, recognized as the parasitic disease with the greatest impact on poultry production. It is caused by protozoa of the genus Eimeria, which parasitize the intestinal mucosa of the chicken. The coccidia of Gallus domesticus are responsible for the most important economical losses in poultry farming (Pellerdy, 1974).
In the hen, Gallus gallus domesticus L., nine species of Eimeria have so far been described from India (Mandal, 1987). Amoud (1997) described two new species of Eimeria in local chickens from Saudi Arabia. Different species tend to develop in different parts of the chicken gut and may be identified by the nature and location of the lesions they cause during multiplication (Long et al., 1976).
During a survey of coccidian parasites, carried out in Gangetic Bengal, India, we found a new species of Eimeria in the feces of the hen. This species is described in the present paper.
© 2006 by Russia, Protistology
Material and Methods
Fecal samples were collected immediately after defecation from eighty adult hens and mixed with 2.5% potassium bichromate (K2Cr2O7) solution. For sporulation, samples were kept in a Petri dish in 2.5% potassium dichromate at room temperature. The samples were examined microscopically after flotation, using Sheather's sugar solution. Observations focused largely on sporulated oocysts. Photomicrographs were obtained using a phase contrast microscope (Olympus, CX41) and an Olympus digital camera (Model no. C-5060, 4+ wide zoom lens). Twenty-five oocysts were measured and compared to those of Eimeria spp. previously reported in the hen in India. All measurements and means are in ^m, with the range given in parentheses followed by the shape index (length/width ratio).
Results
Of eighty adult individuals of Gallus gallus domes-ticus examined, twenty-five (31.25%) had coccidian oocysts. A morphological comparison of these species revealed differences between them and those of other Eimeria spp. from Gallus gallus domesticus, as described below.
Eimeria indiana sp. n. (Figs 1 and 2, Table 1).
Oocysts are egg-shaped or ellipsoidal, length 23.45 !m (20.88-25.2) and width 18.74 ^m (16.2-21.6), the shape index (length/width) is 1.25; The oocyst wall is bilayered, with a uniform thickness (1.08 ^m) and a smooth texture. One prominent oval polar granule is present, but micropyle and oocyst residuums are absent. Sporocysts, four in number, are ovoid to elongated, measuring 10.26 ^m (6.4-10.8) + 5.83 ^m (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 mm are crescent or banana shaped, lying length-wise in head to tail pattern (Figs 1 and 2).
Type host: hen, Gallus gallus domesticus L. (Aves, Phasianidae).
Type location: Gangetic Bengal, India.
Prevalence: 25 out of 80 (31.25%) hens examined were infected.
Site ofinfection: unknown, oocysts collected directly from host feces.
Time of sporulation: 48 hrs at room temperature.
Type specimen: The syntype no. DF/CO/07/05 deposited in the Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani.
Etymology: The epithet 'indiana has been given
Fig. 1. Photomicrograph of sporulated typical oocyst of Eimeria indiana sp. n. showing the polar granule (PG) and sporocyst residuum (SR). Scale bar: 20 ^m.
Fig. 1. Composite line drawing of a sporulated oocyst of Eimeria indiana sp. n. Scale bar: 20 ^m.
after the name of the country, 'India', where the species was discovered.
Discussion
Among the nine accepted species of Eimeria from fowl (Mandal, 1987) from India, the present species resembles E. tenella (Railliet and Lucet, 1891) when dimensions ofthe oocyst and sporocyst along with shape of the sporozoite are considered. These two species are also closely related with respect to the presence of the polar granule, the steida body and the absence of oocyst residuum. But we can differentiate them on the basis of a very significant morphological character, i.e. absence of micropyle in our species and its presence in E. tenella (Mandal, 1987). Also, sporocyst residuum is present in the species described but absent in E. tenella. Among other species, E. maxima (Tyzzer, 1929) is comparatively larger in dimensions than the present species, while E. necatrix (Jhonson, 1930), E. brunetti (Levine, 1942), E. mitis (Tyzzer, 1929), E. mivati(Edger and Seibold, 1964), E. praecox (Jhonson, 1930), E.
Name Author Shape of the oocyst Measurement (Jim) Thickness of oocyst wall (jun) Micropyle Polar granule Oocyst residuum Shape of the sporocyst Measurement (Jim) Steida body Sporocyst residuum Sporulation time Shape of the sporozoite Measurement (Jim)
E. tenella Raillet and Lucet, 1891 Broadly ovoid 19.2-26.0x16.0-22.0 1.5 + + - * 11.0x7.0 + - 48 hrs Banana shaped 8.0x6.0
E. maxima Tyzzer, 1929 Ovoid or egg-shaped 27.0-34.0x16.0-28.0 1.3 * + - Ovoid 15.0-20.0x8.0-9.0 + * 48 hrs Elongated 15.0x4.0
E. necatrix Jhonson, 1930 Broadly ovoid 15.5-23.3x13.6-20.0 * - + - Elongated 10.6x6.0 * * 48 hrs * *
E. brunetti Levine, 1942 Oval 24.0-30.0x20.0-23.0 * * + * 11.0-16.0x5.0-10.0 * * 24-48 hrs * *
E. mitis Tyzzer, 1929 Spherical 12.3-20.7x10.7-19.2 * _ + - Ovoid 9.0-10.Ox 6.5 + + 48 hrs * *
E. mivati Edger and Seibold, 1964 Ellipsoidal or ovoid 10.7-20.0x10.1-15.3 * + + * * 7.3-12.1 x5.0-6.1 + + 12 hrs or more Crescent or banana shaped 11.1-13.Ox 1.9-2.5
E. praecox Jhonson, 1930 Spherical to elliptical 17.7-24.4x13.8-19.2 0.72 + + - Elongated to ovoid * * * 48 hrs * *
E. acervulina Tyzzer, 1929 Egg-shaped or oval 17.7-20.0x13.7-16.3 * + + - * * * * 24 hrs * *
E. hagani Levine, 1938 Broadly ovoid 15.8-20.9x14.3-19.5 * - + * * * * * 24-48 hrs * *
E. indiana Present study Egg-shaped or ellipsoidal 20.8-25.2x16.2-21.6 1.08 - + - Elongated to ovoid 6.4-10.8x4.6-7.2 + + 48 hrs Crescent or banana shaped 7.2x3.6
Legends: + = present, — = absent, * = data not available
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Protistology
acervulina (Tyzzer, 1929), E. hagani(Levine, 1938) are comparatively smaller than the present one when dimensions of different parts are considered. Eimeria jeddahensis and Eimeria waeli described by Amoud (1997) from local chicken in Saudi Arabia also differ from the presently described species in the presence of micropyle and are comparatively larger, considering dimensions of different parts. On the basis on these characteristics, we consider the species described here to be a new coccidian, for which the name E. indiana is proposed.
References
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Eimeriidae) with details of its life history. J. Parasitol. 50, 193-204.
Jhonson W.T. 1930. Directors Biann Report. Oregon Agric. Exp. Sta. 119-120.
Levine P.P. 1938. Eimeria hagani n. sp. (Protozoa: Eimeriidae), a new coccidium of chicken. Cornell Vet.
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Long P.L., Joyner L.P, Millard B.J. and Norton C.C. 1976. A guide to techniques used in the study and diagnosis of avian coccidiosis. Folia Veterinaria Latina. 6, 201-217.
Mandal A.K. 1987. Fauna of India and the Adjacent Countries. Zoological Survey of India, Sri Aurobindo Press, Calcutta.
Pellerdy L.P. 1974. Coccidia and Coccidiosis, 2-nd ed. Verlag Paul Parey, Berlin und Hamburg.
Railliet A. and Lucet A. 1891. Note sur quelques especes de coccidies encore peu etudiees. B. Soc. Zool. France. 16, 246-250.
Tyzzer E. E. 1929. Coccidiosis in gallinaceous birds. Amer. J. Hyg. 10, 269.
Address for correspondence: Probir K. Bandyopadhyay. Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741235, West Bengal, India. E-mail: [email protected]
Editorial responsibility: Andrew Dobrovolskij
