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; number of walls: 2; wall thickness: ~1.0; wall characteristics: outer smooth, light yellow, ~2/3 of total thickness; inner smooth; L x W: 15.8 x 13.5 (13-19 x 11-17); L/W ratio: 1.2 (1.1-1.6); M: absent; OR: present; OR characteristics: scattered granules; PG: absent. Distinctive features of oocyst: none.

Description of sporocysts and sporozoites: Sporocyst shape: ellispoid, pointed at end with SB; L x W: 11.2 x 5.8 (9-13 x 4-7); L/W ratio: 1.9 (1.7-2.3); SB: present as a protruding, nipple-like structure; SSB: present, slightly wider than SB; PSB: absent; SR: present; SR characteristics: a few small, dispersed granules; SP: not described. Distinctive features of sporocyst: protruding, nipple-like SB with SSB.

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

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.43418 (NK 3109, female), R. M. Sullivan #509, 28 June, 1980. Photosyntypes in the USNPC No. 80588.

Remarks: Oocysts of this species resemble those of E. bentongi and E. neurotrichi (Colley and Mullin, 1971; Duszynski, 1985). In additon to host and geographic differences between these species, oocysts of E. titthus differ from those of E. bentongi by having a thinner oocyst wall (1.0 vs 1.5), by having sporocysts with a larger L/W ratio (1.9 vs 1.7), and by the protruding, nipple-like SB with a SSB, both of which E. bentongi lacks. Oocysts of E. neurotrichi have only 1 thin wall (vs 2) and contain sporocysts without a SSB or protruding SB.

References: Ford and Duszynski (1989).