Recurrent coccidiosis affecting a commercial chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar) farm in Ontario, Canada was investigated. The responsible pathogenic Eimeria species was isolated for biological characterization. The uniformity of oocyst morphometrics supported that only a single Eimeria sp. was present. Experimental infections with coccidia-free chukars were used to describe exogenous and endogenous developmental stages of the parasite. The prepatent period of the causative Eimeria species was 5 days and patency lasted 11 days; fecundity was 1,573 to 30,057, with the highest fecundity recorded with the lowest challenge dose. Endogenous development was elucidated histologically from samples collected at 8 locations along the intestinal tract at 26 time points throughout prepatency. The parasite had 5 asexual generations before oocyst formation that were located from the mid-jejunum to the mid-rectum and in the ceca. Sporulation of oocysts suspended in potassium dichromate at room temperature (22 C) occurred within 24 hr. Oocysts (n = 50) averaged 21.8 by 18.6 μm and featured a polar granule; sporocysts (n = 50) averaged 10.9 by 7.1 μm and possessed a Stieda body, sub-Stieda body, sporozoite refractile bodies, and sporocyst residuum. Comparisons with described Eimeria spp. infecting partridges suggest that the biological features of this pathogenic species are unique; similarly, sequences from both mitochondrial and nuclear loci support the naming of this new Eimeria species.

对影响加拿大安大略的商业鹧鸪 ( Alectoris chukar ) 农场的复发性球虫病进行了调查。分离出负责的致病艾美球虫物种以进行生物学表征。卵囊形态计量学的一致性支持只有单个艾美球虫。在场。使用无球虫 chukars 的实验性感染来描述寄生虫的外源性和内源性发育阶段。致病艾美球虫的专利期种为5天，通畅持续11天；繁殖力为 1,573 至 30,057，以最低激发剂量记录的最高繁殖力。内源性发育是从整个准备期间在 26 个时间点沿肠道 8 个位置收集的样本进行组织学阐明的。该寄生虫在卵囊形成前有 5 代无性生殖，分别位于空肠中部至直肠中部和盲肠中。悬浮在重铬酸钾中的卵囊在室温 (22°C) 下在 24 小时内形成孢子。卵囊 (n = 50) 平均 21.8 x 18.6 μm，具有极性颗粒；孢子囊 (n = 50) 平均为 10.9 x 7.1 μm，具有 Stieda 体、亚 Stieda 体、子孢子折射体和孢子囊残留物。与描述的艾美球虫的比较属 感染鹧鸪表明这种致病物种的生物学特征是独一无二的；同样，来自线粒体和核位点的序列支持这一新艾美球虫物种的命名。