Nomenclature of Sarcocystis in the ox and sheep and of fecal Coccidia of the dog and cat.

The nomenclature of Sarcocystis and related protozoan genera is reviewed, and modern diagnoses of the genera Isospora, Toxoplasma, Besnoitia, Sarcocystis, and Frenkelia in the coccidian family Eimeriidae are given. S cruzi (Hasselmann 1926) comb. n., S. hirsuta Moulé 1888, and S. hominis (Railliet and Lucet 1891) comb. n. are recognized in the muscles of the ox Bos taurus; S. ovicanis Heydorn, Gestrich, Melhorn, and Rommel 1975, and S. tenella Railliet 1886 are recognized in the muscles of the sheep Ovis aries; S. bigemina (Stiles 1891) comb. n., S. cruzi, S. ovicanis, S. bertrami Doflein 1901, S. miescheriana (Kühn 1865) Lankester 1882, I. ohioensis Dubey 1975, I. canis Nemeséri 1959, Isospora sp. n. Dubey, and Isospora sp. n. Trayser and Todd are recognized in dog (Canis familiaris) feces; and S. hirsuta, S. tenella, S. muris (Blanchard 1885) Labbé 1899, B. besnoiti (Marotel 1912) Henry 1913, Besnoitia sp. n. Frenkel, T. gondii (Nicolle and Manceaus 1908) Nicolle and Manceaux 1909, T. hammondi (Frenkel 1974) Levine and Nye 1976, I. rivolta (Grassi 1879) Wenyon 1923, and I. felis Wenyon 1923 are recognized in cat (Felis catus) feces. Hoareosporidium Pande, Bhatia, and Chauhan 1972 is considered a synonym of Sarcocystis.

Some corrections of coccidian (Apicomplexa: Protozoa) nomenclature.

The following nomenclatural corrections and changes are introduced for the coccidia. NEW SPECIES: Cryptosporidium rhesi from the rhesus monkey Macaca mulatta; Cryptosporidium serpentis from the snakes Elaphe guttata, Elapha subocularis, Crotalus horridus, and Sanzinia madagascarensis; Eimeria perazae from the lizard Cnemidophorus l. lemniscatus; and Eimeria tarichae from the salamander Taricha toirosa. NEW COMBINATIONS: Orcheobius carinii for Cariniella carinii from the frog Leptodactylus ocellatus; Schellackia iguanae for Lainsonia iguanae from the iguana Iguana iguana; Schellackia weinbergi for Haemogregarina weinbergi from the lizard Tupinambis nigropunctatus; Dorisa harpia for Dorisiella harpia from the bat Harpiocephalus harpia lasyurus; Barrouxia labbei for Echinospora labbei from the centipedes Lithobius mutabilis and L. pyrenaicus; and Barrouxia ventricosa for Echinospora ventricosa from the centipede Lithobius hexodus. The generic names Lainsonia and Gordonella are synonymized with Schellackia; Echinospora with Barrouxia; and Cariniella with Orcheobius.

The genus atoxoplasma (Protozoa, Apicomplexa).

The apicomplexan protozoan genus Atoxoplasma Garnham, 1950 is resurrected and the family Atoxoplasmatidae n. fam. established for homoxenous blood parasites of birds that develop asexually in both the blood and intestinal cells, and form oocysts that are passed unsporulated in the feces, sporulate on the ground, and then infect new hosts. A list of 19 species of Atoxoplasma is given. Atoxoplasma desseri n. sp. of the evening grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus and rose-breasted grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus is named.

The taxonomy of Sarcocystis (Protozoa, Apicomplexa) species.

The taxonomy of the heteroxenous apicomplexan protozoan genus Sarcocystis was reviewed, and a list of 122 species with their synonyms and hosts given. Both definitive and intermediate hosts are known for only 56 species. The fine structure of the sarcocyst wall may change with age and is not considered necessarily satisfactory for separating species. Specificity for the intermediate host is not narrow for all species. Earlier work on transmission of the parasite from one intermediate host to another should be repeated in the light of present knowledge of the life cycle of species of Sarcocystis.

Effect of desiccation on the survival of infective Haemonchus contorus larvae under laboratory conditions.

When stored in water at 4 and 20 C, respectively, 42 and 36% of free 3rd-stage, infective larvae of Haemonchus contortus were alive after 256 days. When stored at -95 C, 73% of the free, desiccated larvae died during the 1st half hour and 80% during the 1st half day; thereafter no more died for 255 days, the duration of the experiment. Desiccation protected the larvae against death on storage at temperature below freezing, but it was harmful at temperatures above freezing. H. contortus larvae do not withstand a single episode of desiccation as well as Trichostrongylus colubrformis larvae.

Effect of temperature on survival of free-living stages of Haemonchus contortus.

One percent or more unembryonated eggs of Haemonchus contortus survived in sheep fecal pellets less than 0.5 hour at -95 C, 2 hours at -28 C, 1 hour at -10 C, 4 days at 4 C, and 1 hour at 45 C. One percent or more embryonated eggs survived 1 hour at -95 and -28C, 12 hours at -10 C, 64 days at 4 C, and 12 hours at 45 C. Over half the unembryonated and embryonated eggs survived only 1 and 4 days, respectively, at 4 C. One percent or more 1st-stage larvae did not survive 0.5 hour at -95 C but did survive 0.5 hour at -28 C, 8 hours at -10 C, 16 days at 4 C, and 1 hour at 45 C. Less than 1% of 2nd-stage larvae survived up to 2 days at -95 C; all were dead by 4 days. Second-stage larvae survived 32 days at -28 C, 8 days at -10 C, 64 days at 4 C, and 2 hours at 45 C. One percent or more 3rd-stage larvae survived 256 days at -95 C, 16 days at -28 C, 32 days at -10 C, more than 256 days at 4 C, 128 days at 20 C, 64 days at 25 and 35 C, and 4 days at 45 C. Thus, the increasing order of survival was unembryonated eggs, 2nd-stage larvae, 1st-stage larvae, embryonated eggs, and 3rd-stage larvae.

Relationship of pasture rotation to acquisition of gastrointestinal nematodes by sheep.

In a study of the relationship between pasture rotation in Illinois and acquisition of nematodes (mostly Haemonchus contortus) and body weight gains by lambs grazing with their ewes, 2 pasture rotation systems were tested. (1) Lambs and ewes were rotated through a series of 12 alfalfa-bromegrass-lespedeza pastures, each pasture being grazed for 3 to 4 days and rested for 5.5 weeks; 4 complete rotations were done during a 168-day grazing season. (2) Lambs and ewes were moved every 2 days, and 3 complete rotations of 50, 42, and 54 days, respectively, were done during the 146-day grazing season. The lambs under rotation had more nematodes and gained less weight than nonrotated control lambs, although rotation increased the amount of pasturage. Rotation is not recommended to control nematode parasitism of sheep in Illinois.

Haemonchus contortus infections in Targhee and Targhee-Barbados Black-Belly cross lambs.

Targhee and Targhee-Barbados Black-Belly cross lambs that were raised helminth-free were experimentally infected with 10,000 or 25,000 infective larvae of Haemonchus contortus. There were no significant (P = less than 0.05) differences in results of weight gain, packed cell volumes, numbers of eggs per gram of feces, or numbers of helminths between the 2 groups of lambs.

Developmental arrest of Haemonchus contortus larvae in lambs given larval inoculum exposed to different temperatures and storage conditions.

The temperature (15 or 30 C) at which Haemonchus contortus larvae were allowed to develop to the infective (3rd) stage and the temperature at which they were subsequently stored (4, 15, or 30 C) had no effect on the occurrence of developmental arrest (larval impasse) of the larvae in infected lambs. If a large inoculating dose (10,000 larvae) was given to the lambs, a smaller percentage of nematodes was retained (14.2%) then if a small dose (1,000 larvae, 25.8% retention) was given, but the percentage of larvae in developmenttal arrest was greater (7.7% of the retained nematodes vs 0.02%). The temperatures of larval development and storage had no effect on the sex ratio of the adults that developed (46.3% male nematodes).

A survey of blood and other tissue parasites of leopard frogs Rana pipiens in the United States.

In a survey of blood and other tissue parasites from 137 leopard frogs, Rana pipiens complex, purchased from 13 commercial vendors in 8 states in the United States, Trypanosoma pipientis was found in 2 R. p. berlandieri, Toxoplasma ranae in 1 R. pipiens, Isospora lieberkuehni in 1 leopard frog, Haemogregarina magna in 44, Lankesterella minima in 3, Leptotheca ohlmacheri in 3 and microfilariae of Foleyella sp. in 6. The report of I. lieberkuehni is presumably a new host record. Haemogregarina temporariae (Nöller,, 1920) nov. comb. is established as a new combination for Nematopsis temporariae.

Coccidia and intestinal nematodes of East Central Illinois cats.

In a fecal examination survey (1975-1976) of 217 cats from laboratory colonies, a humane society shelter, and homes in east central Illinois, Toxocara mystax eggs were found in 32%, Toxascaris leonina eggs in 6%, Ancylostoma eggs in 9%, Capillaria eggs in 4%, Isospora felis oocysts in 23%, Isospora rivolta oocysts in 24%, and Toxoplasma or Besnoitia oocysts in 1%. The laboratory and humane shelter cats were the most heavily infected. Isospora felis and I rivolta could not be transmitted to 2 pups by feeding oocysts from the cat or to 2 other pups by feeding the organs of mice that had been fed the oocysts.

Moisture Stress Effects on Survival of Infective Trichostrongylus colubriformis Larvae.

Water was evaporated from infective Trichostrongylus colubriformis larvae suspended in tap, distilled, and triple-distilled water, and the nematodes were then exposed to 50% and 70% relative humidity (RH) at 20 and 30 C. Sample groups were rehydrated for 4 h daily in similar quality water, observed for motility and counted, then returned to the same RH and temp and re-desiccated. Desiccation and rehydration were repeated until all motility ceased. Longest survival was 30 days at 20 C and 70% RH. In all temp and RH combinations, control (nondesiccated) and desiccated larvae survived longer in distilled or triple-distilled water than in tap water.

Moisture Stress Effects on Survival of Infective Haemonchus contortus Larvae.

Water was evaporated from infective Haemonchus contortus larvae suspended in tap, distilled and triple-distilled water, and the nematodes were then exposed to 50% and 75% relative humidity (RH) at 20, 30, 40, and 50 C. Sample groups were rehydrated 4 hr daily in similar quality water, observed for motility, then returned to the same RH and temperature and re-evaporated. This was continued until all motility ceased. Longest survival was 80 days at 20 C and 75% RH. In all temperature and RH combinations control (non-desiccated) and desiccated larvae survived longer in distilled or triple-distilled water than in tap water.