The vulnerable Sporophila frontalis (Verreaux) and Haplospiza unicolor Cabanis as new hosts for Isospora sporophilae Carvalho-Filho, Meireles, Ribeiro & Lopes, 2005 (Eimeriidae) in Brazil

Syst Parasitol. 2019 Jun;96(4-5):423-431. doi: 10.1007/s11230-019-09859-7. Epub 2019 May 10.

Abstract

Isospora sporophilae Carvalho-Filho, Meireles, Ribeiro & Lopes, 2005 was morphologically and molecularly identified from the double-collared seedeater Sporophila frontalis (Verreaux), which is categorised as 'vulnerable' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), and from the uniform finch Haplospiza unicolor Cabanis in conserved and anthropomorphic/fragmented areas of Atlantic Forest in the southeastern Brazil. The oöcysts recovered from S. frontalis and H. unicolor had small morphological and genotypic differences that were not considered sufficient for the description of new species, but only different genotypes of I. sporophilae related to each host. This coccidian species was originally described from double-collared seedeaters Sporophila caerulescens (Vieillot) in a center screening of wild animals; therefore, this new report emphasises a potential occurrence of anthropomorphic dispersion of coccidia through illegal trade, seizures and reintroductions in the wild.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brazil
  • Host Specificity*
  • Isospora / cytology
  • Isospora / genetics
  • Isospora / physiology*
  • Oocysts / cytology
  • Oocysts / genetics
  • Passeriformes / parasitology*