A NEW ISOSPORAN (APICOMPLEXA: EIMERIIDAE) FROM WOOD THRUSH, HYLOCICHLA MUSTELINA (AVES: PASSERIFORMES: TURDIDAE), IN OKLAHOMA

Abstract

The wood thrush, Hylocichla mustelina is a North American passerine bird closely related to other thrushes and is widely distributed across North America. Nothing is known of the coccidian parasites of this bird. Feces from a single H. mustelina found dead in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, was collected and examined for coccidia; it was found to be passing a new species of Isospora. Oocysts of Isospora gmelini n. sp. are subspheroidal to ellipsoidal with a smooth bi-layered wall, measure (L × W) 19.5 × 16.5 μm, and have a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.2; a micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent but polar granule(s) are present. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal to elongate and measure 13.4 × 8.9 μm, L/W 1.5; a button-like Stieda body is present, but sub-Stieda and para-Stieda bodies are absent. The sporocyst residuum is composed of compact spheroid with a dense, irregular mass of finer granules lying between and dispersed among the sporozoites. Although several isosporans have been reported from other turdid birds, mainly from Brazil and Costa Rica, this is the initial coccidian reported from H. mustelina and only the second known from the Turdidae in the mainland of the U.S.A.