PREVALENCE AND IDENTITY OF SARCOCYSTIS INFECTIONS IN ARMADILLOS (DASYPUS-NOVEMCINCTUS)

Little is known about the prevalence or identity of Sarcocystis specie s infecting armadillos in North America. Sarcocysts were observed in t he tongues of 23 (96%) of 24 armadillos collected between 1989 and 199 4 from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas. The identity of the spec ies present was determined in histological sections of tongue from arm adillos. Sarcocystis dasypi was present in 21 (88%) and Sarcocystis di minuta was present in 5 (21%). Mixed infections with S. dasypi and S. diminuta were present in 3 (13%) armadillos. A single sarcocyst with u ltrastructural features distinct from S. dasypi and S. diminuta was ob served with transmission electron microscopy.