Type host: Cynomys gunnisoni

Other hosts: C. leucurus; C. ludoviciani; Marmota flaviventris; Spermophilus elegans; S. franklinii; S. richardsonii.

Type locality: North America: Canada, Alberta. Animals collected from various locations in Alberta.

Other localities: North America: USA, Utah, Wyoming.

Description of oocyst: Oocyst shape: ovoid to ellipsoid; wall thickness: 1.5; layers: 1; outer layer colour: colourless to pale yellow; outer layer texture: smooth; micropyle: absent; OR: present; OR characteristics: compact mass of small globules (in drawing); residuum L x W: not given; PG: present, not always visible; number of PGs: 1; PG shape: not given; PG L x W: not given; size: 25.1 x 21.0 (21-30 x 17-24); L/W ratio: 1.2. Distinctive features of oocyst: wall thins from 1.5 to 0.9 at tapered end.

Description of sporocysts and sporozoites: Sporocyst shape: elongate-ovoid; size: 10.3 x 7.7 (8-12 x 7-8); SB: present; SB L x W: not given; SB characteristics: distinct; SSB: absent; PSB: absent; SR: present; SR characteristics: clump of granules located between SP; SR size: not given; SP: reniform, narrowing at one end and positioned at ends of sporocyst. Distinctive features of sporocyst: none.

Remarks: Eimeria spermophili was described by Hilton & Mahrt (1971) in S. richardsonii.

References: Hilton & Mahrt (1971); Seville (1997); Seville & Stanton (1993a); Shults et al. (1990); Stanton et al. (1992); Thomas & Stanton (1994).