Cynops Tschudi 1838

Duszynski, Donald W., Bolek, Matthew G. & Upton, Steve J., 2007, Coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) of amphibians of the world, Zootaxa 1667 (1667), pp. 1-77 : 53-55

Host genus Cynops Tschudi 1838

(7 spp.)

Eimeria nipponensis Upton, McAllister and Trauth 1993 ( Fig. 41)

Synonym: Eimeria propria of Matubayasi 1937, pro parte.

Type host: Cynops pyrrhogaster (Boie 1826) , Japanese fire-bellied newt.

Other hosts: None reported to date.

Type locality: ASIA: Japan, exact locality unknown .

Geographic distribution: ASIA: Japan.

Description of sporulated oocyst: Oocyst shape: ellipsoidal; wall thickness: not given; wall characteristics: 1 smooth, colorless layer; L x W: 50.2 x 34.5 (44.5–55 x 31–38); L/W ratio: 1.5; M, PG: absent; OR: present; OR characteristics: a large spheroidal body that appears membrane bound, 25.1 (21–31), with many coarse granules at its periphery. Distinctive features of oocyst: large size and large OR.

Description of sporocyst and sporozoites: Sporocyst shape: spindle-shaped, L x W: not given; L/W ratio: unknown; SB, SSB, PSB: all absent; SR: present; SR characteristics: composed of many granules aggregated into a tight mass; SZ: elongate, ~2/3 the length of sporocyst. Distinctive features of sporocyst: spindle shape.

Prevalence: 2 of 90 (2%).

Sporulation: Unknown. Although Matubayasi (1937) specifically stated, “Formation of the sporozoites in the oocyst are completed in the intestine of the host.” it is unclear if these oocysts sporulate in the intestinal cells (endogenous sporulation) of the host or in the lumen of the intestine (exogenous sporulation).

Prepatent and patent periods: Unknown.

Site of infection: Epithelial cells of the small intestine, between the cuticular layer and the N.

Endogenous stages: Merogony was observed in 1 animal experimentally infected with one oocyst and killed at eight days post-inoculation. The mature meront was ellipsoidal and contained ~20 crescent-shaped merozoites. Merozoites were 9.2 x 1.5 and their posterior half is narrower than the anterior, where a round N with a large karyosome is situated.

Pathology: Unknown.

Material deposited: None.

Remarks: This is the “second type " of oocyst reported by Matubayasi (1937) in Triturus pyrrhogaster (= Cynops pyrrhogaster ), which he identified as E. propria by stating, “it may not be unreasonable to consider my form as identical with E. propria ,” in spite of also saying “although in dimensions they do not coincide with each other.” The oocysts of E. propria ( Fig. 52) are considerably smaller (30–36 x 20–36) and it is clear that the coccidium he was seeing represented a separate species.

Eimeria pyrrhogaster Upton, McAllister and Trauth 1993 ( Fig. 42)

Synonym: Eimeria propria of Matubayasi 1937, pro parte.

Type host: Cynops pyrrhogaster (Boie 1826) , Japanese fire-bellied newt.

Other hosts: None reported to date.

Type locality: ASIA: Japan, exact locality unknown .

Geographic distribution: ASIA: Japan.

Description of sporulated oocyst: Oocyst shape: subspheroidal to ovoidal; wall thickness: not given; wall characteristics: 1 smooth layer; L x W: 42.8 x 39.9 (38–45 x 34.5–45); L/W ratio: 1.1; M, PG: absent; OR: present; OR characteristics: a large, spheroidal body, 28.3 (24–31), composed of many granules that become coarse at its periphery, all enclosed in a thin membrane. Distinctive features of oocyst: large size and large, membrane-bound OR.

Description of sporocyst and sporozoites: Sporocyst shape: spindle-shaped, L x W: 22.2 x 8.2; L/W ratio: 2.7; SB, SSB, PSB: all absent; SR: present; SR characteristics: composed of clusters of loose granules dispersed through sporocyst; SZ: shorter than length of sporocyst with a spheroidal RB (or N?) centrally located. Distinctive features of sporocyst: spindle-shaped and all 4 are always found attached to the surface of the OR.

Prevalence: 1 of 90 (1%).

Sporulation: Unknown. Although Matubayasi (1937) specifically stated, “Formation of the sporozoites in the oocyst are completed in the intestine of the host,” it is unclear if these oocysts sporulate in the intestinal cells (endogenous sporulation) of the host or in the lumen of the intestine (exogenous sporulation).

Prepatent and patent periods: Unknown.

Site of infection: Unknown, oocysts recovered from intestinal contents.

Endogenous stages: Unknown.

Pathology: Unknown.

Material deposited: None.

Remarks: This is the “third type " of oocyst reported by Matubayasi (1937) in T. pyrrhogaster (= C. pyrrhogaster ), which he identified as a variety of his second type, E. propria , although he also said, “It is hardly possible to determine for the present whether this type belongs to either E. spherica or E. propria , or to a new species.” The oocysts of this species are considerably shorter than those of E. propria ( Fig. 52). Thus, we agree with Upton et al. (1993) that it deserves separate species status.

Eimeria saitamaensis Upton, McAllister and Trauth 1993 ( Fig. 43)

Synonym: Eimeria spherica of Matubayasi 1937.

Type host: Cynops pyrrhogaster (Boie 1826) , Japanese fire-bellied newt.

Other hosts: None reported to date.

Type locality: ASIA: Japan, exact locality unknown .

Geographic distribution: ASIA: Japan.

Description of sporulated oocyst: Oocyst shape: spheroidal; wall thickness; not given; wall characteristics: 1 smooth layer, colorless; L x W: 23–26 x 23–26; L/W ratio: 1.0; M, PG: absent; OR: present; OR characteristics: spheroidal body, ~14, and composed of a large homogeneous body with several granules seemingly attached at one pole on its periphery (line drawing). Distinctive features of oocyst: large OR with smaller granules attached at one end.

Description of sporocyst and sporozoites: Sporocyst shape: spindle-shaped, L x W: 15.4 x 6.1; L/W ratio: 2.5; SB, SSB, PSB: all absent; SR: present; SR characteristics: composed of several scattered granules; SZ: nearly as long as sporocyst; RB at one end and a N in the center. Distinctive features of sporocyst: spindle shape.

Prevalence: 2 of 90 (2%).

Sporulation: Unknown, although Matubayasi (1937) indicated that formation of the SZ in the oocyst were completed in the intestine of the host. However, it remains to be seen if the oocysts sporulate endogenously in the host or exogenously.

Prepatent and patent periods: Unknown.

Site of infection: Unknown, oocysts recovered from intestinal contents.

Endogenous stages: Unknown. However, Matubayasi (1937) did find “a small number of gametocytelike forms” 8 days after infecting a newt with 1 oocyst, but concluded, “these were too small in number to be examined in stained preparation. Thus the experimental infection resulted in a failure.”

Pathology: Unknown.

Material deposited: None.

Remarks: This is the “first type " of oocyst reported by Matubayasi (1937) in T. pyrrhogaster (= C. pyrrhogaster ) that he erroneously believed to be E. spherica . However, oocysts of E. spherica ( Fig. 44) are 36 (22–38) in diameter, whereas those of this species are somewhat smaller, and the sporocysts are longer than those of E. spherica .