Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #161764
Title: SARCOCYSTIS RAMPHASTOSI N. SP. AND SARCOCYSTIS SULFURATUSI N. SP. FROM THE KEEL-BILLED TOUCAN (RAMPHASOTOS SULFURATUS)

Author
item Dubey, Jitender
item LANE, E - SOUTH AFRICA
item VAN WILPE, E - SOUTH AFRICA

Submitted to: Laboratory Publication
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2004
Publication Date: 4/15/2004
Citation: Dubey, J.P., Lane, E., Van Wilpe, E. 2004. Sarcocystis ramphastosi n. sp. and sarcocystis sulfuratusi n. sp. from the keel-billed toucan (ramphasotos sulfuratus). Acta Parasitologica. 49:93-101.

Interpretive Summary: Parasites of genus Sarcocystis cause death and suffering in animals and humans. Scientists at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and the University of Pretoria in South Africa describe 2 new species of Sarcocystis from toucan - a rare bird. The results will be of interest to parasitologists, biologists and veterinarians.

Technical Abstract: Two new species of Sarcocystis, Sarcocystis ramphastosi n. sp. and Sarcocystis sulfuratusi n. sp. are described from a naturally infected keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus). Only sarcocysts were found and they were mature. Sarcocysts of S. ramphastosi were up to 3 mm long and up to 1 mm wide. The sarcocyst wall was smooth. The villar protrusions on the sarcocyst wall of S. ramphastosi were up to 6.5 um long and up to 3 um wide; they were folded over the sarcocyst wall giving a thin-walled appearance. The microtubules in villar protrusions were smooth and confined to villar protrusions. Bradyzoites in sections were 4-4.5x1.3-1.6 um in size. Sarcocysts of S. sulfuratusi were up to 900 um long and up to 200 um wide. The sarcocyst wall was smooth and thin-walled. The villar protrusions were up to 4.3 um long and 1.4 um wide .The microtubules in villar protusions extended deeper into the granular layer of the sarcocyst wall and those in the granular layer were more electron-dense than in the villar protrusions. Bradyzoites were 5.0-7.0 x 1.5-2.2 um in size. Keywords: Toucan; Ramphastos sulfuratus; Sarcocystis ramphastosi; Sarcocystis sulfuratusi.