Caryospora maxima sp n. (Apicomplexa : Eimeriidae), new coccidium from Forskal's sand snake, Psammophis schokari (Serpentes : Colubridae) from lava desert of Jordan

A new coccidian parasite of the genus Caryospora Leger, 1904 is described f rom the colubrid snake Psammophis schokari (Forskal, 1775). Oocysts of Cary ospora maxima sp. n. are spherical or subspherical, 43.0 (40.0-46.0) x 42.1 (40.0-44.0) mu m, with smooth and bilayered oocyst wall ca. 2.0 mu m thick . A micropyle, oocyst residuum and polar granule are absent. Sporocysts are broadly ellipsoidal, 21.3 (21.0-22.0) x 16.3 (16.0-17.0) mu m, with smooth , colourless and unilayered sporocyst wall. Stieda and substieda bodies are present. Sporocyst residuum is present as compact mass of granules lying c entrally between sporozoites. Sporozoites are elongate, arranged heed to ta il within sporocyst. Caryospora maxima represents the first coccidian speci es described from Psammophis schokari.