Eimeria jayakaris sp. n. (Apicomplexa:Eimeriidae) from the snake,
Eryx jayakari (Serpentes: Boidae) in Saudi Arabia
Mohamed S. Alyousif and Yaser R. Al-Shawa
Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University P.O. Box 26213, Riyadh 11486,
Saudi Arabia. Fax 4678514

                                                                                   Abstract

A new coccidian parasite of the genus Eimeria is described from the gall bladder of the boid snake, Eryx jayakari collected from Althumamah, central region, Saudi Arabia. Oocysts of Eimeria jayakaris sp. n. are ellipsoid, measuring 31x19.5 (28.7-33.5x18.5-20.8) μm, with a smooth greenish-yellow bilayered oocyst wall of 1.1 (0.9-1.2)um. Micropyle, oocyst residuum and polar granule are absent. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal, measuring 12 x 9.3 (10.7-12.8x8-10) μm. Sporocyst residuum is present as a granulated compact mass. Sporocysts lack a Stieda body. Sporozoites are banana-shaped, laying head to tail in the sporocysts, each with one spherical refractile globule.
Key words: Eimeria jayakaris, Eryx jayakari, Saudi Arabia.