COCCIDIA OF GENUS CARYOSPORA (APICOMPLEXA, EIMERIIDAE) FROM THE LONG NOSED VINE SNAKE, AHAETULLA-NASUTA (SERPENTES, COLUBRIDAE, BOIGINAE) FROM SOUTHERN INDIA, WITH A DESCRIPTION OF CARYOSPORA-VESELYI SP. N

Faecal examination of the long nosed vine snake Ahaetulla nasuta Lacep ede, 1789 revealed two species of caryosporan coccidia. The morphology of one species fits well with a description of Caryospora ahaetullae Modry et Koudela, 1994, the second is a previously undescribed species . Oocysts of Caryospora veselyi sp. n. were spherical, 18.9 (16.5-21.5 ) mu m in diameter, with pitted and brownish oocyst wall about 1.5 mu m thick. An irregular polar granule about 2.0 x 1.0 mu m was observed in 35% of the oocysts examined. Sporocysts were octozoic, ovoidal to e llipsoidal, 13.7 (13.0-15.5) x 10.3 (9.0-11.0) mu m with a shape index 1.3 (1.2-1.4). Stieda and substieda bodies were present. Sporocyst re siduum was present as small granules of irregular size scattered among sporozoites. Both species sporulated within 72 hours. The infected sn ake did not show clinical signs of disease.