Molecular Identification of sp. (Apicomplexa, Sarcocystidae) in Offspring of Tengmalm's Owls, (Aves, Strigidae).

Birds act as intermediate or definitive hosts of cyst-forming coccidia parasites of the genus Lankester, 1882. However, the spectrum of species of in birds and the role of the latter in the transmission of coccidia are still incomplete for many avian species, including the Tengmalm's owl (Linnaeus, 1758). During the research on Tengmalm's owls in Finland, some fledglings were found dead and subsequently parasitologically examined. Therefore, this study is focused on the morphological and molecular description of a species found in the intestine of the Tengmalm's owl and its possible role as a definitive host. Eleven fledgling owls in the Kauhava region of west-central Finland were found dead and subsequently were submitted for necropsy and parasitologically examined through the flotation-centrifugation coprological technique for the presence of oocysts/sporocysts of the genus by light microscopy. Wet mounts were used for the examination of muscle samples (breast, legs, and heart). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested-PCR were carried out using primers for 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS1 region, and CO1 genes. All 11 examined owls were parasitized by numerous sporocysts and oocysts in the intestinal mucosa scrapings (prevalence, 100%). Sporulated oocysts and sporocysts measured 16.34-16.96 × 11.47-12.09 μm and 11.85-13.52 × 7.77-9.25 μm, respectively. The skeletal and heart muscles were negative for sarcocysts. sp. ex (hereafter sp. Af) is closely related to in the barred owl ( Barton, 1799) from the USA and sp. isolate 5 in the European shrew ( Linnaeus, 1758) from the Czech Republic. Phylogenetic analysis allowed determining the relationship of the herein reported sp. with its congeners. This work provided the first and most comprehensive record on from owls obtained in Finland, thus highlighting the importance of molecular data in species identification.