Isospora neomyi Golemansky, 1978

Type host: Neomys anomalus Cabrera, 1907, Southern water shrew.

Other hosts: Neomys fodiens (Pennant, 1771), Northern water shrew.

Type locality: EUROPE: Bulgaria, area of the Rila Mountains.

Geographic distribution: EUROPE: Bulgaria.

Description of oocyst: Oocyst shape: spheroid; number of walls: 2; wall thickness: unknown, but probably ~1.0; wall characteristics: outer, colorless, smooth, ~2/3 of total; inner, membranous, colorless; L x W: 12-16 x 12-16; L/W ratio: 1.0; M: absent; OR: absent; PG: 1. Distinctive features of oocyst: small size, spheroid shape, 1 PB always present.

Description of sporocysts and sporozoites: Sporocyst shape: ovoid; L x W: 8-11 x 5-6.5; L/W ratio: unknown; SB: absent; SSB: absent; PSB: absent; SR: present; SR characteristics: diffuse, small granules between the SP; SP: with a distinct RB at one end (line drawing), although this was not stated in the original description. Distinctive features of sporocyst: ovoid shape, without a SB.

Prevalence: 1/6 (17%) N. anomalus; 1/3 (33%) N. fodiens; Golemansky (1979) also reported this species in 1/6 N. anomalus and 1/2 N. fodiens from the Parangalista Reserve in Bulgaria. However, it is not clear if his 1979 paper uses the same or dfferent animals than were cited in his 1978 paper (see Remarks under E. neomyi).

Sporulation: Unknown.

Prepatent and patent periods: Unknown.

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

Materials deposited: None.

Remarks: This is the only Isospora species decribed from Neomys to date.

References: Golemansky (1978, 1979).