The coccidian genus Calyptospora

Compiled by
Donald W. Duszynski and Lee Couch
Department of Biology, University of New Mexico
and
Steve J. Upton
Division of Biology, Kansas State University

Supported by NSF-PEET DEB 9521687

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Updated: 21 July 2000
Comments: eimeria@unm.edu or coccidia@ksu.edu


The genus Calyptospora Overstreet, Hawkins, and Fournie, 1984, and family Calyptosporidae Overstreet, Hawkins, and Fournie, 1984, were originally created for an obligate, heteroxenous, eimerian-like coccidian from the liver of Fundulus spp. The original definition of the family was: "Heteroxenous, with an invertebrate intermediate host; oocyst with four sporocysts, each containing two sporozoites. Definitive hosts poikilothermic." Grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio, ingest sporulated oocysts after scavenging upon livers of dead killifish. Sporozoites liberated from oocysts within the intestine of the shrimp have been found to require a period of five or more days of maturation in basal cells along the intestine before infections can be transmitted back to fish (Fournie and Overstreet 1983; Fournie et al. 2000). Oocysts in fish are extraintestinal, with the liver being the preferred site of infection. Sporocysts possess one or more projections termed sporopodia, which support a thin veil (membrane) around the sporocysts. At this time, five species have been provisionally assigned to the genus although an indirect life-cycle has been demonstrated for only one species to date..

The genus Calyptospora is provisionally placed within the family Eimeriidae because the taxonomic affinities of Calyptospora spp. have not yet been worked out. Two other families, Aggregatidae Labbe, 1899 and Sarcocystidae Poche, 1913, are already defined by having members with facultative or obligate heteroxenous life-cycles. The former family is usually confined to obligate polysporic genera, and the latter to obligate or facultative bisporic genera. The definitions of either of these two families could easily be modified to accomodate the genus Calyptospora, and because of this we are currently undecided as to whether a separate family is really needed.


  1. Calyptospora empristica Fournie, Hawkins, and Overstreet, 1985
    1. Definitive host: Fundulus notti (starhead topminnow - Cyprinodontiformes, Fundulidae)
    2. Site of infection: Liver
    3. References: Fournie et al. 1985a, 1985b
    4. Remarks: The life-cycle of this coccidian has not yet been worked out. Thus, it can only be provisionally placed in the genus Calyptospora.

  2. Calyptospora funduli (Dusynzki, Solangi, and Overstreet, 1979) Overstreet, Hawkins, and Fournie, 1984
    1. Synonym: Eimeria funduli Duszynski, Solangi, and Overstreet, 1979
    2. Synonym: Eimeria sp. of Overstreet, 1978
    3. Definitive hosts: Fundulus grandis (Gulf killifish), Fundulus heteroclitus (Mummichog), Fundulus jenkinsi (Saltmarsh topminnow), Fundulus pulvereus (Bayou killifish), Fundulus similis (Longnose killifish). All Cyprinodontiformes, Fundulidae. Hosts in other orders include Menidia beryllina (Inland silverside - Atheriniformes, Atherinidae) and Opsanus beta (Gulf toadfish - Batrachoidiformes, Batrachoididae)
    4. Site of infection: Liver; to a lesser extend caudal peduncle, ovary, fatty tissue surrounding body cavity, intestinal wall
    5. References: Duszynski et al. 1984; Fournie and Overstreet 1982, 1983a, 1983b, 1993; Fournie and Solangi 1980; Fournie et al. 1985b, 2000; Hawkins et al. 1981a, 1981b, 1981c, 1983a, 1983b, 1983c, 1983d, 1984a, 1984b; Overstreet 1978, 1988, 1993; Overstreet et al. 1984; Solangi and Ogle 1981; Solangi and Overstreet 1980; Solangi et al. 1982; Upton 1981; Upton and Duszynski 1982a, 1982b, 1982c
    6. Remarks: The infection in Menidia beryllina was induced experimentally and some abnormal coccidian development was noted. The prevalence of infection in Opsanus beta was low with only one of 54 fish examined harboring an infection.

  3. Calyptospora serrasalmi Cheung, Nigrelli, and Ruggieri, 1986
    1. Host: Serrasalmus rhombeus (syn. Serrasalmus niger) (Redeye piranha - Characiformes, Characidae)
    2. Site of infection: Liver
    3. References: Cheung et al. 1983, 1986
    4. Remarks: The life-cycle of this coccidian has not yet been worked out. Thus, it can only be provisionally placed in the genus Calyptospora.

  4. Calyptospora spinosa Azevedo, Matos, and Matos, 1993
    1. Host: Crenicichla lepidota (Pike cichlid - Perciformes, Cichlidae)
    2. Site of infection: Liver, testes, ovary
    3. Reference: Azevedo et al. 1993
    4. Remarks: The life-cycle of this coccidian has not yet been worked out. Thus, it can only be provisionally placed in the genus Calyptospora.

  5. Calyptospora tucunarensis Bekesi and Molnar, 1991
    1. Host: Cichla ocellaris (Peacock cichlid - Perciformes, Cichlidae)
    2. Site of infection: Liver
    3. Reference: Bekesi and Molnar 1991
    4. Remarks: The life-cycle of this coccidian has not yet been worked out. Thus, it can only be provisionally placed in the genus Calyptospora.

References

Azevedo, C., Matos, P., and Matos, E. 1993. Morpholgocal data of Calyptospora spinosa n. sp. (Apicomplexa, Calyptosporidae) parasite of Crenicichla lepidota HECKEL, 1840 (Teleostei) from Amazon river. European Journal of Protistology 29: 171-175.

Bekesi, L. and Molnar, K. 1991. Calyptospora tuncunarensis n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Sporozoea) from the liver of tucunare Cichla ocellaris in Brazil. Systematic Parasitology 18: 127-132.

Cheung, P.J., Nigrelli, R.F., and Ruggieri, G.D. 1983. Coccidian parasite from the liver of the black piranha, Serrasalmus niger Schomburgk. Eastern Fish Health Workshop, June 21-23, 1983. National Fish Health Research Laboratory, Kearneysville, West Virginia. p. 3.

Cheung, P.J., Nigrelli, R.F., and Ruggieri, G.D. 1986. Calyptospora serrasalmi sp. nov. (Coccidia: Calyptosporidae) from liver of the black piranha, Serrasalmus niger Schomburgk. Journal of Aquariculture and Aquatic Sciences 4: 54-57.

Duszynski, D.W., Solangi, M.A., and Overstreet, R.M. 1979. A new and unusual eimerian (Protozoa: Eimeriidae) from the liver of the gulf killifish, Fundulus grandis. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 15: 543- 552.

Fantham, H.B. and Porter, A. 1948. The parasitic fauna of vertebrates in certain Canadian fresh waters, with some remarks on their ecology, structure and importance. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 117: 609-64.

Fournie, J.W. and Overstreet, R.M. 1982. Host-specificity of the coccidium Eimeria funduli in fishes. In, Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology. Parasites-their World and Ours, Muller, M., Gutteridge, W., and Kohler, P., editors. Proceedings of the 5th International Congress of Parasitology, August 7-14, Toronto. Elsevier Biomedical Press, Toronto. pp. 444-445.

Fournie, J.W. and Overstreet, R.M. 1983a. An intermediate host required for the piscine coccidian Eimeria funduli. Journal of Parasitology 69 (Supplement 84): 51.

Fournie, J.W. and Overstreet, R.M. 1983b. True intermediate hosts for Eimeria funduli (Apicomplexa) from estuarine fishes. Journal of Protozoology 30: 672-675.

Fournie, J.W. and Overstreet, R.M. 1993. Host specificity of Calyptospora funduli (Apicomplexa: Calyptosporidae) in Atheriniform fishes. Journal of Parasitology 79: 720-727.

Fournie, J.W. and Solangi, M.A. 1980. Prevalence of Eimeria funduli (Protozoa: Eimeriidae) in the longnose killifish Fundulus similis from Horn Island, Mississippi. Gulf Research Reports 6: 427-428.

Fournie, J.W., Hawkins, W.E., and Overstreet, R.M. 1985a. Calyptospora empristica n. sp. (Eimeriorina: Calyptosporidae) from the liver of the starhead topminnow, Fundulus notti. Journal of Protozoology 32: 542-547.

Fournie, J.W., Hawkins, W.E., and Overstreet, R.M. 1985b. Organization of sporulated oocysts of two species of the piscine coccidium, Calyptospora. Journal of Parasitology 71(Abstract 68): 38.

Fournie, J.W., Vogelbein, W.K., Overstreet, R.M., and Hawkins, W.E. 2000. Life cycle of Calyptospora funduli (Apicomplexa: Calyptosporidae). Journal of Parasitology 86: 501-505.

Hawkins, W.E., Fournie, J.W., and Overstreet, R.M. 1983a. Organization of sporulated oocysts of Eimeria funduli in the gulf killifish, Fundulus grandis. Journal of Parasitology 69: 496-503.

Hawkins, W.E., Fournie, J.W., and Overstreet, R.M. 1983b. Morphological studies on the life cycle stages of Eimeria funduli, an extraintestinal piscine coccidian. Journal of Parasitology 69 (Supplement 150): 65.

Hawkins, W.E., Fournie, J.W., and Overstreet, R.M. 1984a. Ultrastructure of the interface between stages of Eimeria funduli (Apicomplexa) and hepatocytes of the longnose killifish, Fundulus similis. Journal of Parasitology 70: 232-238.

Hawkins, W.E., Fournie, J.W., and Overstreet, R.M. 1984b. Intrahepatic stages of Eimeria funduli (Protista: Apicomplexa) in the longnose killifish, Fundulus similis. Transactions of the American Microscopical Society 103: 185-194.

Hawkins, W.E., Solangi, M.A., and Overstreet, R.M. 1981a. Ultrastructural effects of the coccidium, Eimeria funduli Duszynski, Solangi and Overstreet, 1979 on the liver of killifishes. Journal of Fish Diseases 4: 281-295.

Hawkins, W.E., Solangi, M.A., and Overstreet, R.M. 1981b. Ultrastructural aspects of the development of the coccidium Eimeria funduli in killifish. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences 26: (Supplement 133).

Hawkins, W.E., Solangi, M.A., and Overstreet, R.M. 1981c. Gamogony in Eimeria funduli, a coccidian parasite of killifish. LSEM Spring Meeting and Annual Symposium, May 21-23, 1981, Baton Rouge. Louisiana Society for Electron Microscopy Newletter 7: (Supplement).

Hawkins, W.E., Solangi, M.A., and Overstreet, R.M. 1983c. Ultrastructure of the macrogamont of Eimeria funduli, a coccidium parasitizing killifishes. Journal of Fish Diseases 6: 33-43.

Hawkins, W.E., Solangi, M.A., and Overstreet, R.M. 1983d. Ultrastructure of the microgamont and microgamete of Eimeria funduli, a coccidium parasitizing killifishes. Journal of Fish Diseases 6: 45-57.

Lom, J. and Dykova, I. 1995. Studies on protozoan parasites of Australian fishes. Notes on coccidian parasites with description of three new species. Systematic Parasitology 31: 147-156.

Overstreet, R.M. 1978. Marine Maladies? Worms, Germs, and other Symbionts from the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, Blossman Printing, Inc., Ocean Springs, Mississippi. 140. pp.

Overstreet, R.M. 1988. Coccidiosis of Killifishes. In, Disease Diagnosis and Control of North American Marine Aquaculture, Sindermann, C.J., and Lightner, D.V., editors. Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam. pp. 373-375.

Overstreet, R.M. 1993. Parasitic diseases of fishes and their relationship with toxicants and other environmental factors. In, Pathobiology of Marine and Estuarine Organisms. CRC Press, Boca Raton. pp. 111-156.

Overstreet, R.M., Hawkins, W.E., and Fournie, J.W. 1984. The coccidian genus Calyptospora n. g. and family Calyptosporidae n. fam. (Apicomplexa), with members infecting primarily fishes. Journal of Protozoology 31: 332-339.

Solangi, M.A. and Ogle, J.T. 1981. Preliminary observations of the effect of Eimeria funduli (Protozoa: Eimeriidae) on the Gulf killifish Fundulus grandis and its potential impact on the killifish bait industry. Gulf Research Reports 7: 87-88.

Solangi, M.A. and Overstreet, R.M. 1980. Biology and pathogenesis of the coccidium Eimeria funduli infecting killifishes. Journal of Parasitology 66: 513-526.

Solangi, M.A., Overstreet, R.M., and Fournie, J.W. 1982. Effect of low temperature on development of the coccidium Eimeria funduli in the Gulf killifish. Parasitology 84: 31-39.

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Upton, S.J. and Duszynski, D.W. 1982a. Development of Eimeria funduli in Fundulus heteroclitus. Journal of Protozoology 29: 66-71.

Upton, S.J. and Duszynski, D.W. 1982b. Development of Eimeria funduli in Fundulus heteroclitus. American Society of Biologists Bulletin 29 (Abstract): 89.

Upton, S.J. and Duszynski, D.W. 1982c. Development of Eimeria funduli in Fundulus heteroclitus. Journal of the Alabama Academy of Sciences 53 (Abstract): 32.

Vogelbein, W.K., Fournie, J.W., and Overstreet, R.M. 1987. Sequential development and morphology of experimentally induced hepatic melano-macrophage centres in Rivulus marmoratus. Journal of Fish Biology 31 (Supplement A): 145-153.