Type host: Urolophus talpoides Temminck, 1841, Greater Japanese shrew mole.

Other hosts: None reported to date.

Type locality: ASIA: Japan, Honshu, Nagano Prefecture, 2.0 km E. Haramura.

Geographic distribution: ASIA: Japan, Honshu.

Description of oocyst: Oocyst shape: subspheroid/ellipsoid; number of walls: 2; wall thickness: ~1.0+; wall chracteristics: outer layer smooth, ~2/3 of total thickness, inner layer transparent; L x W: 21.2 x 17.9 (18-25 x 16-21); L/W ratio: 1.2 (1.1-1.3); M: absent; OR: absent; PG: absent. Distinctive features of oocyst: none.

Description of sporocysts and sporozoites: Sporocyst shape: amorphous, gelatinoid envelopes that fill the length of the oocyst; L x W: 20.3 x 7.5 (17-24 x 7-9); L/W ratio: 2.7; SB: absent; SSB: absent; PSB: absent; SR: absent; SP: appear to be enclosed in a membrane within the sporocyst that gives them an irregular/ellipsoid shape that measures 13.2 x 6.8 (12-14 x 6-8); 1 spheroid RB at opposite ends of each SP. Distinctive features of sporocyst: No other sporocyst of an Eimeria sp. described to date has the unique structural features described in this form.

Prevalence: 9/45 (20%) in type host; 0/6 in U. pilirostris

Sporulation: Exogenous. Oocysts sporulated when returned to the laboratory from the field.

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 Musuem of SW Biology, UNM: MSB No. 45307 (NK 6047, male) D.W. Reduker #400, 28 May, 1981. Photosyntypes in the USNPC No.85979.

Remarks: Based on the structure of the sporocysts, this is one of the most unusual species of Eimeria ever described. This species has not been reported since its original description.

References: Duszynski and Moore (1986).