Fine structure of endogenous stages of Eimeria turcicus developing in gall bladder epithelium of the gecko Hemidactylus turcicus

Abstract

Transmission electron microscopic study of endogenous development of Eimeria turcicus Upton, McAllister and Freed, 1988 (Eimeriorina, Apicomplexa), in the gall bladder epithelium of the gecko Hemidactylus turcicus from Israel, revealed merogony and gamogony stages which induce hypertrophy and displacement of their host cell from the epithelial layer. Meronts yield over 70 merozoites. Microgametes are biflagellated. Macrogamonts contain both types of wall-forming bodies (WF1, 2). In the zygote, disaggregation of WF1s coincide with the onset of oocyst wall formation, while WF2s persist. A multilayered wall is formed at the first stage of the wall formation. Subsequently, 5 membranes (M1-5) are formed at the surface of the zygote like in other elmerine coccidia. The oocyst wall appears to be formed by M3 and M4.