Sarcocystis dubeyella n. sp. and Sarcocystis phacochoeri n. sp. (Protozoa: Sarcocystidae) from the warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) in South Africa.

Abstract

Sarcocystis dubeyella n. sp. and S. phacochoeri n. sp. from muscle fibers of the skeletal musculature of two warthogs in South Africa are described by light and and electron microscopy. Sarcocystis dubeyella sarcocysts are macroscopic (up to 12 mm long and 1 mm wide), with a parasite-induced encapsulation of the host muscle fiber in which the plasma membrane of the latter remained unaltered. The sarcocyst wall is characterized by evenly arranged, irregularly semicircular or rectangular villar protrusions (5.0 x 2.8-11.0 microns) with indented margins and no specific content. Sarcocystis phacochoeri formed filiform microcysts (up to 4 mm long and 0.13 mm wide). Its cyst wall is provided with tightly packed, molarlike villar protrusions (1.6-3.3 x 1.7-3.3 microns), with smooth margins, hollow on one side, and with longitudinal condensations of the fine granular matrix at various locations in the interior.