PSEUDOKLOSSIA HALIOTIS SP-N (APICOMPLEXA) FROM THE KIDNEY OF CALIFORNIA ABALONE, HALIOTIS SPP (MOLLUSCA)

A coccidian of the genus Pseudoklossia Leger and Duboscq, 1915 (Apicom plexa) occurs in the kidneys of abalone, Haliotis spp. (Mollusca), thr oughout waters off California. Parasites are often numerous in renal t issues, and developmental stages include oocysts, macrogametes, microg ametocytes, and meronts. Renal coccidian infections occur in uninfecte d abalone after exposure to water occupied previously by infected anim als. The life cycle of this parasite appears to be monoxenous and the coccidian evokes no host inflammatory response. We term this coccidian Pseudoklossia haliotis sp. n. and describe the morphologic characteri stics of the endogenous stages and oocysts. This represents only the s eventh named species described from the genus. (C) 1995 Academic Press , Inc.