New species of Choleoeimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the veiled chameleon, Chamaeleo calyptratus (Sauria: Chamaeleonidae), with taxonomic revision of eimerian coccidia from chameleons.

Coprological examination of 71 samples from a breeding colony of veiled chameleons, Chamaeleo calyptratus Duméril et Duméril, 1851, revealed a presence of two species of coccidia. In 100% of the samples examined, oocysts of Isospora jaracimrmani Modrý et Koudela, 1995 were detected. A new coccidian species, Choleoeimeria hirbayah sp. n., was discovered in 32.4% of samples from the colony. Its oocysts are tetrasporocystic, cylindrical, 28.3 (25-30) x 14.8 (13.5-17.5) microm, with smooth, bilayered, -1 microm thick wall. Sporocysts are dizoic, ovoidal to ellipsoidal, 10.1 (9-11) x 6.9 (6-7.5) microm, sporocyst wall is composed of two plates joined by a meridional suture. Endogenous development is confined to the epithelium of the gall bladder, with infected cells being typically displaced from the epithelium layer towards lumen. A taxonomic revision of tetrasporocystic coccidia in the Chamaeleonidae is provided.