Type host:Spermophilus erythrogenys.

Other hosts: S. pygmaeus; S. relictus; S. undulatus.

Other names: E. kazakhstanensis.

Type locality: Asia: Kazakhstan.

Other localities: Asia: Buriatia; Western Kazakhstan, Urda, Lbischtschensk.

Description of oocyst (from Abenov, 1980): Oocyst shape: ovoid; wall thickness: 1; layers: 2; outer layer proportion of total thickness: not given; outer layer colour: not given; outer layer texture: smooth; inner wall characteristics: not given; micropyle: present; micropyle width: 4-5; MC: present; cap L x W: not given; OR: absent; PG: absent; size: 34.6 x 26.5 (32.5-36 x 25-28); L/W ratio: 1.3. Distinctive features of oocyst: has a distinctive MC; sometimes is pointed or protruding at micropylar end.

Description of sporocysts and sporozoites: Sporocyst shape: elongate-ovoid; size: 18.9 x 9.9 (17-20 x 9-12); SB: not given; SB L x W: not given; SB characteristics: not given; SSB: not described; PSB: absent; SR: present; SR characteristics: small, granular; SR size: not given; SP: 7.8 x 3.9, bean-shaped. Distinctive features of sporocyst: none.

Remarks: Sassuchin & Rauschenbach (1932) described E. volgensis in S. pygmaeus; they claimed to follow a single oocyst to full sporulation, but did not provide a description of the sporocysts and their illustration is of an unsporulated oocyst. In addition, their written description mentions a MC, but this is absent from their drawing. Because there is no illustration of the sporulated oocyst and the written description does not completely match the illustration of the unsporulated oocyst, this description is inadequate. Zolotareff (1938) found eimerian oocysts in S. pygmaeus similar in shape to the unsporulated oocyst drawn by Sassuchin & Rauschenbach (1932); however, the size ranges of the two barely overlap. Zolotareff (1938) gives length and width ranges and means, but no other information. His drawings, although they depict sporulated oocysts, are crude; thus, his description also is inadequate. Finally, Abenov (1980) described and photographed E. volgensis. Because the descriptions prior to his all mentioned the MC, and because no other Eimeria spp. described from marmotine rodents have this feature, we feel it is prudent, at this time, to consider E. volgensis a valid name. Svanbaev (1956) described E. volgensis from the murid rodent Ellobius talpinus, but Levine & Ivens (1965) disagreed and renamed the species to Eimeria kazakhstanensis. However, since there is no illustration, it is likely that E. kazakhstanensis will become a species inquirenda.

References: Abenov (1980); Abenov & Svanbaev (1982); Levine & Ivens (1965); Machulsky (1949); Sassuchin & Rauschenbach (1932); Svanbaev (1965); Zolotareff (1935, 1938).