EIMERIA SPP (APICOMPLEXA, EIMERIIDAE) FROM BLACK-TAILED AND WHITE-TAILED PRAIRIE DOGS (CYNOMYS-LUDOVICIANUS AND CYNOMYS LEUCURUS) IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WYOMING

Feces collected from live-trapped black- (Cynomys ludovicianus) and wh ite-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys leucurus) from central and southeaste rn Wyoming were examined to determine the presence and prevalence of e imerian species. Six species (Eimeria adaensis [black-tailed prairie d og prevalence = 33%, white-tailed prairie dog prevalence = 51%], Eimer ia beecheyi [8%, 28%], Eimeria callospermophili [64%, 71%], Eimeria la teralis [3%, 7%], Eimeria morainensis [19%, 8%], and Eimeria spermophi li [2%, 1%]) were identified from both host species. Eimeria pseudospe rmophili was found infecting only black-tailed (prevalence = 1%) and E imeria bilamellata only in white-tailed prairie dogs (2%). Reinfection s individual hosts were observed with E. callospermophili and E. adaen sis. Comparison of these results with the published literature suggest s that the host genera Cynomys and Spermophilus share a common guild o f eimerians and that members of this guild have a long evolutionary as sociation with these hosts, or host switching, or both, is common betw een these groups.