Tyzzeria parvula ( KOTLAN , 1933 ) KLIMES , 1963 ( APICOMPLEXA : EIMERIIDAE ) IN THE GREYLAG GOOSE ( Anser anser LINNAEUS , 1758 ) IN SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL *

BERTO, B.P.; TEIXEIRA, M.; LOPES, C.W.G. Tyzzeria parvula (Kotlan, 1933) Klimes, 1963 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) in the greylag goose (Anser anser Linnaeus, 1758) in southeastern Brazil. [Tyzzeria parvula (Kotlan, 1933) Klimes, 1963 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) no ganso cinzento (Anser anser Linnaeus, 1758) no sudeste do Brasil]. Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária, v. 16, n. 3, p. 156-158, 2007. Curso de PósGraduação em Microbiologia Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, km 7 da BR-465, Seropédica, RJ 23.890-000. E-mail: bertobp@ufrrj.br Tyzzeria parvula from the greylag goose (Anser anser) is described in Southeastern Brazil. Oocysts are spherical to subspherical ranging from 12.4-180 to 10.7-15.9μm (15.4 X 13.4 μm), shape index 1.15, with a double layered wall 0.4 to 0.7 μm thick (n=20), outer smooth and colorless, inner pale greenish. Micropyle is absent, but oocyst residuum is present containing numerous granules and spherules. Surrounded by residuum there are eight sporozoites having one end round and other fine and slightly curved.


INTRODUCTION
The greylag goose, Anser anser L., 1758 is a waterfowl very common in Brazil.This species is worldwide, with an estimated global extend of occurrence of 1,000,000-10,000,000 Km 2 and population of 920,000-970,000 animals (BIRD LIFE INTERNATIONAL, 2006).In Europe and North America, A. anser and others species from the family Anatidae (A. albifrons, A. caurelensis, A. rossii, Branta canadensis and B. bernicla) are frequently found parasitized by the coccidian protozoan Tyzzeria parvula (Levine 1985;Arslan et al. 2002).Although T. parvula have been considered as the principal causative agent of intestinal coccidiosis in geese, the parasite has not been so far identified in Brazil.
The aim of this paper is to present the morphological description of sporulated oocysts of T. parvula from the greylag goose, A. anser, in southeastern Brazil.

Morphology
Morphological observations and measurements were performed using a binocular microscope Carl Zeiss with apochromatic oil immersion objective and micrometer ocular K-15X PZO (Poland).Line drawings were prepared with a binocular microscope Wild M-20 with drawing tube.

Photographies
Pictures were prepared using a digital camera model CD Mavica MVC-CD250 Sony®, and a photographic camera f-KAS Automatic-2 with films ISO 100 (21 DINA) (Kodak, Mexico).

Cross transmission experiment
To determine the transmissibility of this specie from geese to ducks, two waterfowls one month old from the State of Rio de Janeiro and free of coccidia, Muskovy Duck (Cairina moschata) and Mallard (Anas platyrhynchus) were orally inoculated with 1,550 sporulated oocysts of T. parvula/500μL.Oocysts and the infective doses were prepared according to Eckert et al. (1995).After inoculation fecal observations were performed daily during ten days to observe the presence of oocysts in the feces.

RESULTS
Tyzzeria parvula (Kotlan, 1933) Klimes, 1963 Morphology Oocysts (Figures 1 and 2) are spherical to subspherical ranging from 12.4-18.0to 10.7-15.9μm(15.4 X 13.4 μm), shape index 1.15, with a double layered wall 0.4 to 0.7 μm thick (n=20), being the outer smooth and colorless, and the inner pale greenish.Micropyle is absent, but oocyst residuum is present containing numerous granules and spherules.Surrounded by residuum there are eight sporozoites having one end round and other fine and slightly curved.

Cross transmissibility
Cairina moschata and A. platyrhynchus did not shed oocysts in the feces until ten days after inoculation.

Disease
None reported.DISCUSSION According to the data presented above the oocysts found in the Brazilian waterfowl A. anser belongs to the specie T. parvula.This parasite was first observed by Kotlán (1933) who named it as Eimeria parvula.Later, Allen (1936) working with the Mallard A. platyrhynchus observed the same type of oocysts and established the new genera Tyzzeria.Later, the  specie was renamed by Nieschulz (1947) as T. anseris and by Klimes (1963) as T. parvula, this last accepted until now.After this T. parvula was found parasitizing some species of the Subfamily Anserinae around the world but unfortunately, as reported by Gajadhar et al. (1983), this coccidium in geese is still being referred to by old names.As reported by Nieschulz (1947), Klimes (1963) and Svanbaev and Rakhmatullina (1967), the coccidium described here is not transmissible from geese to ducks.
Synonymy: Eimeria parvula, Tyzzeria anseris.Site of infection: not investigated.Locality: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Geographic distribution of the host: worldwide Sporulation time: 4-7 days.Type material and specimens deposited: oocysts in 10% formaldehyde-saline solution deposited at the Parasitology Collection.Laboratory of Coccidios e Coccidioses in the Department of Animal Parasitology, UFRRJ, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Repository number is P-013/2007, including phototypes and line drawings.