A new Species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Sheep (Ovies aries) Dharshiv District (Osmanabad), Maharashtra, India
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Between June 2013 and May 2015, fecal samples were collected from domestic sheep ( Ovis aries ) in Dharashiv district (Osmanabad), Maharashtra, India, to investigate the diversity of coccidian parasites. Of the 2,911 samples examined, 16 Eimeria species were identified. Here, we describe one previously unrecognized species, Eimeria sameerensis n. sp., from sheep. Oocysts are elongated-oval, bilayered, measuring 35.5 × 27.5 µm with a length/width ratio of 1.29. Both a micropyle and micropylar cap are present, a polar granule occurs, but no oocystic residuum is observed. Sporocysts are elongate ovoid (15.0 × 11.0 µm), with a prominent Stieda body and a compact sporocystic residuum. The new species differs from morphologically related species ( E. ahsata, E. christenseni, E. parbhaniensis ) by the size of oocysts, number of refractile bodies, and form of the Stieda body. This represents the first description of Eimeria sameerensis from Indian sheep and contributes to the understanding of small ruminant coccidia diversity in the region.
