Acroeimeria cf. cicaki n. comb. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Stump-Tailed Gecko, Gehyra mutilata (Sauria: Gekkonidae), from Peninsular Malaysia

ABSTRACT: During August 2019, 2 stump-tailed geckos, Gehyra mutilata were collected by hand from 2 sites within Peninsular Malaysia and examined for coccidia. Both were found to be passing oocysts of Eimeria cf. cicaki Else and Colley, 1975. Oocysts are subspheroidal to ellipsoidal, with a smooth bilayered wall, measure 19.4 ×16.1 µm, and have a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.2; a micropyle and oocyst residuum are absent, but a single polar granule is present. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal and measure 7.3 × 6.7 µm, L/W 1.1; Stieda, sub-Stieda, and para-Stieda bodies are absent. The sporocyst residuum is composed of large dispersed granules lying between the sporozoites. The current isolate appears to be morphologically divergent from the specimens as originally described. Previously reported endogenous development shows this coccidian should be transferred to the genus Acroeimeria Paperna and Landsberg, 1989. Here, we provide additional morphological information on the coccidian, as well as the first photomicrographs of the sporulated oocysts of the species.