Type host: Eumops perotis(Schinz, 1821) (Syn. E. trumbulli), Mastiff bat.

Other hosts: None reported to date.

Type locality: SOUTH AMERICA: Colombia, Departmento Meta, Puerto Lopez.

Geographic distribution: SOUTH AMERICA: Colombia, Meta.

Description of oocyst: Oocyst shape: asymmetrically ovoidal; number of walls: 2; wall thickness: <3.0; wall characteristics: outer, brownish, ~1.6-2.6, rough, covered with pronounced pits and appears radially striated in optical cross-section; inner, thin, smooth, colorless; L x W: 34.9 x 28.0 (34-36 x 27-28); L/W ratio: 1.25; M: absent; OR: absent; PG: 1 or 2, ~2-4 in size. Distinctive features of oocyst: large size, thick, brown, bumpy striated wall and sometimes asymmetrical shape(line drawing).

Description of sporocysts and sporozoites: Sporocyst shape: ovoidal; L x W: 11.0 x 7.9 (10.5-12 x 6.5-8); L/W ratio: 1.4; SB: present (?) as small, nipple-like structure, ~0.6 x 1.0; SSB: absent; PSB: absent; SR: present; SR characteristics: scattered, coarse granules; SP: banana-shaped, 10.0 x 3.9 (9-11 x 3-4) oriented head to tail and fill most of sporocyst; 1 large RB present at rounded end of SP. Distinctive features of sporocyst: very thin wall with small nipple-like SB.

Prevalence: 2/12 (17%).

Sporulation: Exogenous. Oocysts sporulated in 8-15 d in 2.5% aqueous (w/v) potassium dichromate solution at 25 C.

Prepatent and patent periods: Unknown.

Site of infection: Epithelial cells of the anterior part of the small intestine.

Endogenous stages: Meronts were 98 x 62, thick-walled, and contained up to 350 crescentic merozoites; the cytoplasm of the host cell formed a covering layer 2-3 thick around the meront. Microgamotocytes measured 17 x 11 with ~48 microgametes. Young macrogametocytes are rounded and their cytoplasm is packed with granular matter, which is later transformed into dark-staining peripheral granules; the nucleus is "large," with a slightly eccentric nucleolus. Nearly mature macrogametocytes were 18.9 x 16.1 (18-23 x 14-18). Endogenous young oocysts were 21.6 x 19.1 (19-26 x 18-25) with a wall 0.3 thick.

Materials deposited: None.

Remarks: Marinkelle (1968) measured both sporulated and unsporulated oocysts and noted that oocyst size increased during sporulation by almost 20%. Interestingly, he found this species in 2/12 (17%) E. perotis, but found no other coccidian oocysts in more than 388 other bats representing 22 species found in Colombia; unfortunately, he did not name the other species of bats he examined. Althought reported to be present, his line drawing did not show a SB.

References: Levine and Ivens (1981); Marinkelle (1968).