A new caryosporan and eimerian (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from green anoles, Anolis carolinensis (Sauria: Dactyloidae), from Arkansas and Louisiana, with a summary of the coccidia of Dactyloidae.

Between April 2012 and September 2013, feces from 18 green anoles, Anolis carolinensis from Arkansas (n = 14), Louisiana (n = 1), and Oklahoma (n = 3) were examined for coccidia. Two species of coccidians were found, including a new caryosporan and a new eimerian. Oocysts of Caryospora natchitochesensis n. sp. from a single A. carolinensis from Louisiana were subspheroidal to ovoidal with a smooth, yellow-to-brown-pigmented, bilayered wall of equal thickness (∼0.3-0.7) and measured (L × W) 13.1 × 12.3 μm, with a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.1. A micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but a polar granule was present. Sporocysts were ovoidal and measured 10.1 × 7.4 μm, L/W was 1.4. A Stieda body (∼1.0 μm) was present, but substieda and parastieda bodies were absent. The sporocyst residuum was composed of dispersed granules or globules among sporozoites. Oocysts of Eimeria robisoni n. sp. from 1 of 12 (8%) green anoles from Arkansas were ellipsoidal with a smooth, unilayered wall (∼0.4-0.5) and measured (L × W) 14.5 × 10.5 μm, with L/W ratio of 1.4. A micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but 1-4 (usually 2) polar granules were present. Sporocysts were subspheroidal to ovoidal and measured 5.8 × 4.9 μm, L/W was 1.2. Stieda, substieda, and parastieda bodies were absent. The sporocyst residuum was composed of dispersed granules between sporozoites. None of the anoles from Oklahoma was found to be passing oocysts. This is the second time an eimerian and a caryosporan have been reported from green anoles. A summary of the coccidians of lizards of the family Dactyloidae is provided, with special emphasis on the Anolis of the United States.