Type host: Parascalops breweri (Bachman, 1842), Hairy-tailed mole.

Other hosts: None reported to date.

Type locality: NORTH AMERICA: USA, Ohio, Ashtabula Co.

Geographic distribution: NORTH AMERICA: USA, Massachusetts, Ohio.

Description of oocyst: Oocyst shape: subspheroid (rare) to ellipsoid; number of walls: 2; wall thickness: ~1.0; wall characteristics: outer and inner layers both smooth and of equal thickness; L x W: 19.3 x 13.0 (15-25 x 10-16); L/W ratio: 1.5 (1.1-1.8); M: absent; OR: absent; PG: 1. Distinctive features of oocyst: arrangement of sporocysts such that SB of all 4 converge at a point on one side of oocyst wall.

Description of sporocysts and sporozoites: Sporocyst shape: spindle-shaped, pointed at both ends; L x W: 10.6 x 5.7 (8-13 x 4-7); L/W ratio: 1.5 (1.1-1.8); SB: present, small, pointed; SSB: present, ~ same width as SB; PSB: absent; SR: present; SR characteristics: several small globules that may be dispersed or concentrated in a single mass; SP: no description. Distinctive features of sporocyst: spindle-like shape and point-like SB.

Prevalence: 4/16 (25%) P. breweri, including 1/9 (11%) from Franklin Co., MA and 3/7 (43%) from Ashtabula Co.

Sporulation: Exogenous. Oocysts sporulated in 7-10 days in 2.5% aqueous (w/v) potassium dichromate solution at 23 C.

Prepatent and patent periods: Unknown.

Site of infection: Unknown. Oocysts recovered from feces and intestinal contents.

Materials deposited: Skin, skull, skeleton and tissues of the symbiotype host are preserved in the Mammal Division of the Museum of SW Biology, MSB No. 43417 (NK 3115, female), R.M. Sullivan #512, 28 June, 1980. Photosyntypes in the USNPC No. 80589.

Remarks: The unique shape and arrangement of the sporocysts distinguish the oocysts of this species from all other insectivore coccidia.

References: Ford and Duszynski (1989).