Abstract
Skeletal muscle of 5 wild reindeer was examined for sarcocysts and used for experimental infection of 6 foxes. Skeletal and cardiac muscle of another reindeer were only examined for sarcocysts. The skeletal muscle of all animals was infected with Sarcocystis sp.. In 2 of the animals cysts of S. hardangeri were also present. The single heart examined contained only cysts of S. grueneri.
Four foxes given skeletal muscle containing apparently only cysts of Sarcocystis sp., started shedding Sarcocystis sporocysts, measuring on average 13.6×9.8 µm, after a prepatent period of 10–12 days. Two foxes given skeletal muscle containing cysts of both Sarcocystis sp. and S. hardangeri shed similar sporocysts, measuring on average 13.5×9.7 µm, after a prepatent period of 10–12 days.
Based on the results from the present and previous investigations, Sarcocystis sp. is considered to have foxes (Vulpes vulpes and Alopex lagopus) and dogs (Ganis familiaris) as definitive hosts, becoming the second species of Sarcocystis with a known reindeer/Canidae life cycle. The name Sarcocystis tarandivulpes n. sp. is proposed as a replacement name for Sarcocystis sp. Gjerde, 1984 from skeletal muscle of reindeer.
Keywords: intermediate host, cyst structure, cyst wall structure
Sammendrag
Fersk skjelettmuskulatur frå 5 villreinar var undersøkt for sarcocyster og nytta til eksperimentell fôring av 6 blare var. Skjelett- og hjertemuskulatur av ein annan villrein vart berre undersøkt for sarcocyster. Fire re var som hadde fått skjelettmuskulatur som berre inneheldt cyster av Sarcocystis sp., tok til å skilja ut Sarcocystis-sporocyster etter ein prepatentperiode på 10–12 dagar. Sporocystene målte i gjennomsnitt 13.6×9.8 µm. To revar som hadde fått skjelettmuskulatur som inneheldt cyster av både Sarcocystis sp. og S. hardangeri, skilde ut sporocyster som målte 13.5×9.7 µm etter ein prepatentperiode på 10–12 dagar.
På grunnlag av resultata frå denne og tidlegare granskingar konkluderer ein med at Sarcocystis sp. frå skjelettmuskulaturen hos rein liar hund og rev som endevertar. Ein gjer framlegg om at namnet S. tarandivulpes n. sp. avløyser den tidlegare nytta nemninga for denne arta. S. tarandivulpes er den andre arta hos rein, ved sida av S. grueneri frå hjertemuskulaturen, som har dyr av hundeslekta som endevertar. Dei 2 artene har om lag same prepatenstid og sporocyster av om lag same storleik.
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