Description of Eimeria vejdovskyi sp.n. and redescription of Eimeria media Kessel, 1929 from the rabbit.

On the basis of oocyst morphology, endogenous cycles, prepatent period, and enzyme analysis, Eimeria media was found to be a composite species, representing two independent species differing from all other species of rabbit coccidia. One of them was designated Eimeria media Kessel, 1929 and the other was described as a new species, Eimeria vejdovskyi. E. media has relatively larger oocysts (mean size 32.88 X 19.19 micron), the endogenous development takes place in the epithelium of the ileum or of posterior jejunum, and the developmental stages gradually migrate from the crypts towards the tips of villi. E. media forms three asexual generations, the prepatent period is 9 days. Eimeria vejdovskyi sp.n. has relatively smaller oocysts (29.05 X 18.18 micron) and is localized throughout the small intestine. E. vejdovskyi sp.n. forms two asexual generations, which are localized mostly in the upper part of villi, like the gametogony. At the beginning of the endogenous development the parasites were localized mostly in the epithelium, while the second asexual generation and gametogony took place also in the lamina propria. The prepatent period was 6 days. It was found that the two species differ from one another in the electrophoretic mobility of lactate dehydrogenase and glucosophosphate isomerase.