A New Species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 from the Saffron Finch, Sicalis flaveola (Aves: Passeriformes) in Brazil.

Abstract

The present study describes a new species of Eimeria found in free-living S. flaveola that inhabit the city of Eugenópolis in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Fecal samples from all captured birds were filtered through double gauze, mixed with 2.5% potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7), placed in a Petri dish and incubated at 23-28°C until 70% of the oocysts were sporulated. Eimeria flaveola n. sp. from the saffron finch, Sicalis flaveola (Aves: Passeriformes), was described in Brazil. Sporulated oocysts are subspherical; 22.67 ± 1.57 (18.47-26.48) × 21.19 ± 1.42 (16.69-24.91) µm; with a shape-index of 1.07 ± 0.05 (1.00-1.25) µm and a smooth, bilayered wall, ~ 1.09μm. A micropyle and an oocyst residuum are absent, but one polar granule is present. Sporocysts are ovoidal, 14.24 ± 1.71 (9.02-19.33) × 9.98 ± 1.02 (6.80-12.87) μm; with a shape-index of 1.43 ± 0.16 (0.74-2.11). The Stieda body is button-shaped; sub-Stieda body and para-Stieda absent. The sporocyst residuum is formed by a compact rounded mass of granules. The sporozoite is claviform, 11.53µm in length and 2.84µm in width, with a refractile body and a nucleus. Based on its morphological and morphometric characteristics, we consider E. flaveola a newly identified species.