Type host: Condylura cristata (Linnaeus, 1758), Star-nosed mole.

Other hosts: None reported to date.

Type locality: NORTH AMERICA: USA, Vermont, Lamoille Co., 9.7 km N of Stowe, ungrazed pasture by Hwy. 100.

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

Description of oocyst: Oocyst shape: ellipsoid, sometimes slightly asymmetrical; number of walls: 2; wall thickness: ~1.0; wall characteristics: outer layer smooth, ~1/2 of total thickness; inner, smooth, but difficult to distinguish in intact oocyst; L x W: 19.4 x 9.3 (17-21 x 8-11); L/W ratio: 2.1 (1.7-2.3); M: absent; OR: absent; PG: 1, highly refractile. Distinctive features of oocyst: slightly asymmetrical ellipsoid shape and highly refractile PG.

Description of sporocysts and sporozoites: Sporocyst shape: elongate-ovoid; L x W: 11.7 x 5.8 (11-13 x 5-7); L/W ratio: 2.0 (1.8-2.4); SB: present; SSB: present, ~2 times wider than SB; PSB: absent; SR: present; SR characteristics: 10-12 homogeneous globules dispersed or in a compact mass; SP: with 1 RB in posterior half. Distinctive features of sporocyst: elongate shape with SSB and globular SR.

Prevalence: 12/24 (50%), including 7/12 (58%) from Vermont, 3/6 (50%) from Ohio, and 2/4 (50%) from Massachusetts, but 0/2 from Maine.

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, UNM: MSB No. 43346 (NK 3038, male), K. McBee #96, 14 June, 1980. Photosyntypes in the USNPC No. 80626.

Remarks: Oocysts and sporocysts of this species have the largest L/W ratios of any Isospora spp. yet described from insectivores.

References: Duszynski (1989).