A New Coccidium Sivatoshella lonchurae n. gen., n. sp., from Lonchura malabarica and L. punctulata

SYNOPSIS. A new coccidium Sivatoshella lonchurae n. gen., n. sp. (Coccidia, Eimerüdae) is described from the gut of the passeriform birds Lonchura malabarica (Linn.) and L. punctulata (Linn.). Endogenous stages of the parasite conform to those of the family Eimerüdae. Oocysts are spherical, 36–38 μ (avg. 37.5 μ) in diameter. Wall 3.6 ä thick, 4-layered; outermost layer thin transparent and colorless; next, slightly broader and light green; 3rd, thinner and light yellow; innermost dark black. Oocyst residuum absent. Micropyle absent. Sporocysts 28–29 μ long and 18 μ wide. They are 2 broad pear-shaped bodies with Steida body and a prominent substeidal body at the narrow pole. Sporocyst residuum present as minute refractile globules embedded in a dark matrix. Sporozoites broad, comma-shaped, with one large vacuole at the broad pole and nucleus at the center of the body. Sixteen sporozoites in each sporocyst, arranged at the periphery of the residual mass. Sporulation time : 24–48 hours at 31 C. Habitat: duodenum and small intestine of Lonchura malabarica (Linn.) and L. punctulata (Linn.). Locality: Calcutta, W. Bengal, India.