Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Morphological and molecular characterisation of Isospora butcherae n. sp. in a silvereye (Zosterops lateralis) (Latham, 1801)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Parasitology Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A new Isospora (Apicomplexa:Eimeriidae) species is described from a silvereye (Zosterops lateralis) in Western Australia. Sporulated oocysts of this species are spherical, 24.2 (23.1–25.2) × 23.3 (22.8–23.9) μm, with a shape index (length/width) of 1.02, and with a smooth bi-layered oocyst wall, 1.2 μm thick (outer layer 0.9 μm, inner 0.3 μm). A polar granule is present, but the oocyst residuum and a micropyle are absent. The ovoid-shaped sporocysts are 16.1 (15.7–17.3) × 10.5 (15.7–17.3) μm and have a shape index of 1.53. A hemidome-shaped Stieda and a rectangular-shaped substieda body are present. A sporocyst residuum is present and composed of numerous granules of different sizes scattered among the sporozoites. The oocysts from this isolate are morphologically different from those of all known Isospora spp. This coccidian parasite was molecularly characterised at the 18S, 28S ribosomal RNA and the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (COI) gene. At the 18S locus, based on 1210 bp of sequence, this new isolate exhibited 99.9, 99.8, 99.7 and 99.5% similarity to I. sp. MAH-2013a (KF648870) from a superb starling (Lamprotornis superbus) in Canada, I. sp. MS-2003 (AY33157) from a Southern cape sparrow (Plocepasser mahali) in America, I. sp. Tokyo (AB75786) from Japan and I. sp. respectively. Further analysis of a subgroup of 300 bp long 18S sequences (n = 11), including I. anthochaerae and the other three Isospora characterised from birds in Western Australia, revealed that I. butcherae n. sp. exhibited 98.3% similarity to both I. sp. MAH-2013a (KF648870) and I. MS-2003 (AY33171). At the 28S locus, this new isolate exhibited 97.3% similarity with I. sp. MS-2003 from a California towhee (Melozone crissalis). At the COI locus, this new isolate exhibited 99.8% similarity to I. neochmiae from a red-browed finch. Based on morphological and molecular data, this isolate is a new species of Isospora, which is named Isospora butcherae n. sp. after Mrs. June Butcher for her lifelong dedication as a wildlife rehabilitator.

ᅟ

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Berto BP, Flausino W, McIntosh D, Teixeira-Filho WL, Lopes CWG (2011) Coccidia of New World passerine birds (Aves: Passeriformes): a review of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 and Isospora Schneider, 1881 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae). Syst Parasitol 80:159–204

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Berto BP, Ferreira I, Flausino W, Teixeira-Filho WL, Lopes CWG (2013) Isospora canaria box, 1975 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from canaries Serinus canaria Linnaeus (Passeriformes: Fringillidae) in Brazil. Syst Parasitol 85:49–53

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Box ED (1975) Exogenous stages of Isospora serini (Aragao, 1933) and Isospora canaria sp. n. in the canary (Serinus canarius, L.) J Protozoal 22:165–169

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carreno RA, Barta JR (1999) An eimeriid origin of isosporoid coccidia with Stieda bodies as shown by phylogenetic analysis of small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences. J Parasitol 85:77–83

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Duszynski DW, Upton SJ, Couch L (1999) The coccidia of Passeriformes (Isospora spp.) http://biology.unm.edu/biology/coccidia/passer1.html. Accessed 08 Apr. 2017

  • Levine ND, Van Riper S, Van Riper C (1980) Five new species of Isospora from Hawaiian birds. J Protozool 27:258–259

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morin-Adeline V, Vogelnest L, Dhand NK, Shiels M, Angus W, Šlapeta J (2011) Afternoon shedding of a new species of Isospora (Apicomplexa) in the endangered regent honeyeater (Xanthomyza phrygia). Parasitology 138:713–724

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Olson VA, Gissing GJ, Barta JR, Middleton AL (1998) A new Isospora sp. from Carduelis tristis (Aves: Fringillidae) from Ontario, Canada. J Parasitol 84:153–156

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pizzey G, Knight F (2007) The field guide to the birds of Australia. Harper Collins Publishers Pty Ltd.

  • Schoener ER, Alley MR, Howe L, Castro I (2013) Coccidia species in endemic and native New Zealand passerines. Parasitol Res 112:2027–2036

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schrenzel MD, Maalouf GA, Gaffney PM, Tokarz D, Keener LL, McClure D, Griffey S, McAloose D, Rideout BA (2005) Molecular characterization of isosporoid coccidia (Isospora and Atoxoplasma spp.) in passerine birds. J Parasitol 91:635–647

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Speer CA, Duszynski DW (1975) Fine structure of the oocyst walls of Isospora serini and Isospora canaria and excystation of Isospora serini from the canary, Serinus canarius L. J Protozool 22:476–481

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yang R, Fenwick S, Potter A, Elliot A, Power M, Beveridge I, Ryan U (2012) Molecular characterisation of Eimeria species in Macropods. Exp Parasitol 132:216–221

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yang R, Murphy C, Song Y, Ng-Hublin J, Estcourt A, Hijjawi N, Chalmers R, Hadfield S, Bath A, Gordon C, Ryan U (2013) Specific and quantitative detection and identification of Cryptosporidium hominis and C. parvum in clinical and environmental samples. Exp Parasitol 135:142–147

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yang R, Brice B, Ryan U (2014) Isospora anthochaerae n. sp. from a Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata) (Passeriformes: Meliphagidae) in Western Australia. Exp Parasitol 140:1–7

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yang R, Brice B, Habsi KA, Elliot A, Ryan U (2015a) Isospora streperae n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from a grey currawong (Strepera versicolour plumbea) (Passeriformes: Artamidae) in Western Australia. Exp Parasitol 151-152C:49–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang R, Brice B, Ryan U (2015b) Isospora serinuse n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from a domestic canary (Serinus canaria forma domestica) (Passeriformes: Fringillidae) in Western Australia. Exp Parasitol 159:59–66

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yang R, Brice B, Jian F, Ryan U (2016a) Morphological and molecular characterization of Isospora manorinae n. sp. in a yellow-throated miner (Manorina flavigula wayensis) (Gould, 1840). Exp Parasitol 163:16–23

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yang R, Brice B, Ryan U (2016b) Morphological and molecular characterization of Isospora neochmiae n. sp. in a captive-bred red-browed finch (Neochmia temporalis) (Latham, 1802). Exp Parasitol 166:181–188

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank June and Lloyd Butcher for establishing Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. We acknowledge the contribution of the Kanyana volunteers for their dedication in caring for the wildlife at the centre. We are also most grateful to the veterinary and nursing staff at Wattle Grove Veterinary Hospital, Perth, for their care and expert treatment of wildlife.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia

    Rongchang Yang & Una Ryan

  2. Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, 120 Gilchrist Road, Lesmurdie, Western Australia, 6076, Australia

    Belinda Brice

  3. College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450002, China

    Fuchun Jian

Authors
  1. Rongchang Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Belinda Brice
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fuchun Jian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Una Ryan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rongchang Yang.

Additional information

Section Editor: David S. Lindsay

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yang, R., Brice, B., Jian, F. et al. Morphological and molecular characterisation of Isospora butcherae n. sp. in a silvereye (Zosterops lateralis) (Latham, 1801). Parasitol Res 117, 1381–1388 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-5808-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-5808-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation