Morphological and molecular identification of Eimeria tetartooimia oocysts from a Japanese green pheasant (Galliformes; Phasianidae; Phasianus versicolor ) at a zoo in Japan

We detected Eimeria oocysts from Japanese green pheasants ( Phasianus versicolor ) at a zoo in Osaka, Japan. The oocyst isolates were subspherical or ovoidal shaped and measured 17.2 (range 14.7–20.0) μm in length and 14.8 (13.3–16.7) μm in width with a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.2 (1.0–1.4) and each had one polar granule. The oocysts lacked a residuum and micropyle. Sporocysts measured 9.8 (6.7–13.3) μm in length and 5.9 (4.7–7.3) μm in width, with a L/W ratio of 1.2 (1.1–1.4). Compared to previously published values, this strain shows morphological similarities with an isolate of E. teetartooimia from ring-necked pheasants from other countries. Phylogenetic analysis of the 18S rRNA and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I genes places the isolate in a clade related to chicken Eimeria spp., such as E. acervulina or E. brunetti . Although further analysis is needed, this information can be helpful for the diagnosis and determination of virulence of Eimeria spp. in pheasants.