DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF EIMERIA (APICOMPLEXA, EIMERIIDAE) FROM HELODERMA-SUSPECTUM (SAURIA, HELODERMATIDAE)

A new species of coccidian, Eimeria becki, is described from the feces of 3/3 Gila monsters, Heloderma suspectum (Helodermatidae), housed at the Dallas Zoo. Oocysts of this new eimerian are cylindroid, 31.0 X 1 8.4 (29.6-33.4 X 17.6-19.2) mum; shape index (length/width) 1.69 (1.62 -1.82). Micropyle and oocyst residuum absent, single polar granule pre sent. Sporocysts are ellipsoid to cylindroid, 11.9 X 7.7 (10.4-12.8 X 7.2-8.2) mum; shape index 1.55 (1.33-1.73). Sporozoites each with sphe roid, rarely ellipsoid, posterior refractile body. This represents the first coccidian to be described from a member of the family Heloderma tidae.