Isospora ubique: A new coccidian parasite from the wedge-billed woodcreeper (Glyphorynchus spirurus) from South America

A new species of Isospora is described from the faeces of the wedge-billed woodcreeper, Glyphorynchus spirurus from eastern Ecuador and Guyana. Oocysts of Isospora ubique sp. n. were found in 18/41 wedge-billed woodcreepers. Sporulated oocysts are subspherical to ovoidal, 23.4 x 21.8 (21-27 x 19-24) mu m, with a smooth, colorless bilayered wall; the inner wall is thinner and darker. The average shape index is 1.07. No micropyle or oocyst residuum are present but the oocyst contains one ovoid polar granule. Sporocysts are ovoidal, 14.8 x 10.1 (14-16 x 9-11) mu m, average shape index is 1.46 with a smooth single layered wall, and composed of a nipple-like Stieda body but no substieda body. The sporocyst residuum is usually composed of coarse granules scattered among the sporozoites or sometimes loosely clustered with a thin membrane surrounding the sporozoites and residuum granules within the sporocyst. Sporozoites are vermiform with an ovoid, posterior refractile body and an ovoid centrally located nucleus and lying randomly in the sporocyst.