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The gnateaters Conopophaga spp. are insectivorous passerines commonly observed in high and humid forests, where they remain lodged in thin branches and, sometimes, they fly to the ground to catch insects. The insectivorous feeding habit is related to low prevalence and density of coccidians in passerines; however, several coccidian species are recorded for families of insectivorous passerines. This study aimed to examine the feces from gnateaters Conopophaga spp. captured in the municipality of Barra Mansa and in the Itatiaia National Park, State of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil, to determine what coccidian parasites were present. Nine gnateaters were captured with mist nets. Coccidian oocysts were recovered from the fecal samples by flotation in Sheather’s saturated solution. Morphological observations, line drawings, photomicrographs and measurements were made in optical microscopy and digitally edited. The molecular analysis included the study of the sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene, with phylogenetic reconstructions based on the neighbor-joining and maximum likelihood analysis. Four Conopophaga spp. were positive for oocysts. An Isospora sp. considered as new to science is described and identified from Conopophaga melanops (Vieillot, 1818) and Conopophaga lineata (Wied, 1831). Isospora borbai n. sp. has oocysts that are subspheroidal, 17–22 × 15–22 (20.2 × 19.1) µm, with rough, bilayered wall, c.1.7 μm thick. Micropyle present, but without micropyle cap. Oocyst residuum absent, but one or two polar granules are present. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal, 12–15 × 8–11 (14.1 × 9.1) µm. The Stieda body is knob-like to half-moon-shaped and sub-Stieda body is rounded. Sporocyst residuum is present, composed of scattered spherules of different sizes. Sporozoites are vermiform with refractile body and nucleus. Molecular analysis at the cox1 gene exhibited similarity greater than 99% with Isospora spp. isolates from other Neotropical passerine birds. Based on the morphological and molecular features, I. borbai is considered as new to science and the first coccidian species recorded from Conopophagidae.

Isospora sporophilae Carvalho-Filho, Meireles, Ribeiro & Lopes, 2005 was morphologically and molecularly identified from the double-collared seedeater Sporophila frontalis (Verreaux), which is categorised as ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), and from the uniform finch Haplospiza unicolor Cabanis in conserved and anthropomorphic/fragmented areas of Atlantic Forest in the southeastern Brazil. The oocysts recovered from S. frontalis and H. unicolor had small morphological and genotypic differences that were not considered sufficient for the description of new species, but only different genotypes of I. sporophilae related to each host. This coccidian species was originally described from double-collared seedeaters Sporophila caerulescens (Vieillot) in a center screening of wild animals; therefore, this new report emphasises a potential occurrence of anthropomorphic dispersion of coccidia through illegal trade, seizures and reintroductions in the wild.

A new species of coccidian, Isospora guaxi n. sp., and Isospora bellicosa Upton, Stamper & Whitaker, 1995 (Protozoa: Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) are recorded from red-rumped caciques Cacicus haemorrhous (L.) in the Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Brazil. Isospora guaxi n. sp. has sub-spheroidal oocysts, measuring on average 30.9 × 29.0 μm, with smooth, bi-layered wall c.1.9 μm thick. Micropyle and oocyst residuum are absent, but a polar granule is present. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal, measuring on average 19.3 × 13.8 μm. Stieda body is knob-like and sub-Stieda body is prominent and compartmentalized. Sporocyst residuum is composed of scattered granules. Sporozoites are vermiform, with one refractile body and a nucleus. Isospora bellicosa has sub-spheroidal to ovoidal oocysts, measuring on average 27.1 × 25.0 μm, with smooth, bi-layered wall c.1.5 μm thick. Micropyle and oocyst residuum are absent, but one or two polar granules are present. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal, measuring on average 18.1 × 10.9 μm. Stieda body is knob-like and sub-Stieda body is rounded to rectangular. Sporocyst residuum is composed of a cluster of compact or diffuse granules. Sporozoites are vermiform, with one refractile body and a nucleus. Isospora bellicosa was originally described from the Peruvian meadowlark Sturnella bellicosa deFilippi, a trans-Andean icterid which is allopatric with the cis-Andean C. haemorrhous. Therefore, in conclusion, this current study reveals the dispersion of coccidia from Icteridae across the Andes Mountains, besides describing the sixth isosporoid coccidium infecting an icterid bird.

A new species of coccidia (Protozoa: Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) found parasitizing the yellow-legged thrush Turdus flavipes (Vieillot, 1818), the pale-breasted thrush Turdus leucomelas Vieillot, 1818 and the creamy-bellied thrush Turdus amaurochalinus Cabanis, 1850 in Southeastern Brazil is described. Isospora brasilsatoae n. sp. has oocysts that are ovoidal to pyriform, 26.8 × 21.1 μm, with smooth, bilayered wall, ~1.6 μm thick. Micropyle present. Oocyst residuum absent, but one to three polar granules are present. Sporocysts are elongate ovoidal, 18.1 × 10.5 μm. Stieda body knob-like and sub-Stieda body trapezoidal. Sporocyst residuum is composed of granules that appear to be membrane-bounded. Sporozoites are vermiform with refractile bodies and striations. This is the ninth description of an Isospora sp. parasitizing a New World thrush.

A new species of coccidia (Protozoa: Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) found parasitizing the white-eyed parakeet Psittacara leucophthalmus (Müller, 1776) in Brazil is described. Eimeria psittacarae n. sp. has oocysts that are ellipsoidal, 34.8 × 24.3 μm, with smooth, bilayered wall, ~1.7 μm thick. Micropyle present. Oocyst residuum absent, but one or two polar granules are present. Sporocysts are elongate ellipsoidal, 19.2 × 9.7 μm. Stieda body knob-like and sub-Stieda body rounded. Sporocyst residuum is composed of granules that appear to be membrane-bounded. Sporozoites are vermiform with one refractile body and a nucleus. This is the sixth description of an eimeriid coccidium parasitizing a New World psittacine.

In the current study, Isospora sagittulae McQuistion and Capparella, 1992 (Protozoa: Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) is reported from white-shouldered fire-eyes Pyriglena leucoptera (Vieillot, 1818) in the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. To date, this coccidian species was described from antbirds in Ecuador and Brazilian Amazon. In this sense, oocysts and measurements of the description of I. sagittulae from Amazonian antbirds were required from the deposit for comparison between samples from the Amazon and Atlantic Forest. The morphology was similar in all aspects, despite the polymorphism associated with the oocyst shape. DNA sequences for the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) locus of the oocysts had similarity of 100%. Therefore, these strong morphological, molecular, and ecological equivalences ensure the unique identification of I. sagittulae. Finally, this finding reveals the wide distribution of I. sagittulae in the Neotropical region and indicates that other antbirds in the Brazilian Cerrado should disperse I. sagittulae to the Amazon and Atlantic Forest.

A new coccidian species parasitizing white-necked thrushes Turdus albicollis Vieillot, 1818 is described from the Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, in Southeastern Brazil. Isospora machadoae sp. nov. has oocysts that are sub-spherical, 22.2 × 21.2 µm, with bilayered wall, ~1.3 μm thick. Outer layer is rough with micropyle and micropyle cap. Oocyst residuum is absent, but one or two polar granules are present. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal, 13.3 × 9.7 µm. The Stieda body is flattened to half-moon-shaped and substieda body rounded. Sporocyst residuum is present, composed of scattered spherules of different sizes. Sporozoites are vermiform with a refractile body and a nucleus. These parasitized thrushes had no apparent clinical signs of coccidiosis or high densities of oocysts in feces. This condition may be associated with a specific low pathogenicity of I. machadoae sp. nov. and/or with the conserved habitat of these birds, which ensures the ecological niches and thus the immunocompetence to wildlife.

A new coccidian species (Protozoa: Apicomplexa: Isospora) parasitizing the white-shouldered fire-eye Pyriglena leucoptera (Vieillot, 1818) is described in the Parque Nacional do Itatiaia. This park is a protected area in southeastern Brazil with a high degree of vulnerability, representing a "conservation island" of biodiversity. Isospora parnaitatiaiensis n. sp. has oocysts that are ellipsoidal, 23.8 × 19.4 μm, with smooth, bilayered wall, ~1.1 μm thick. Micropyle and oocyst residuum are absent, but one or two polar granules are present. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal, 14.6 × 9.3 μm. The Stieda body is nipple- to knob-like and sub-Stieda body rounded to rectangular. Sporocyst residuum is present, usually as a cluster of numerous granules. Sporozoites are vermiform with two refractile bodies and a nucleus. This is the second isosporoid coccidian described from antbirds (Thamnophilidae).

A species of Isospora Schneider, 1881 (Protozoa: Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) considered as new to science is described and characterised molecularly from the eastern white-throated spadebill Platyrinchus mystaceus Vieillot in the Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, southeastern Brazil. Isospora lopesi n. sp. has oocysts that are subspheroidal to ovoidal, 18–24 × 18–22 (20.6 × 19.7) µm, with smooth, bilayered wall, c.1.5 μm thick. Micropyle and oocyst residuum are absent, but one polar granule is present. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal, 12–16 × 8–11 (14.4 × 8.6) µm. The Stieda body is flattened to half-moon-shaped and sub-Stieda body is rounded. Sporocyst residuum is present, consisting of numerous spherules of different sizes. Sporozoites are vermiform with anterior and posterior refractile bodies and nucleus. Molecular analysis was conducted at the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. This new isolate exhibited similarity greater than 98% with Isospora spp. isolates from spectacled warblers Sylvia conspicillata Temminck, 1820. This is the fourth isosporoid coccidian described from New World tyrannid birds, but is the first to have a complementary molecular characterisation.

The aim of the present study was to report and describe Isospora albicollis Lainson and Shaw, 1989 parasitizing a white-necked thrush Turdus albicollis Vieillot, 1818 and a pale-breasted thrush Turdus leucomelas Vieillot, 1818 in two different localities: the Itatiaia National Park and Cacaria, in southeastern Brazil. The oocysts identified were ovoidal, 24.4 × 19.7 μm, with a smooth, bilayered wall, around 1.4 μm thick. Oocyst residuum was absent, but a micropyle and a polar granule were present. The sporocysts were ellipsoidal, 15.4 × 10.1 μm. The Stieda body was knob-like to rounded and the sub-Stieda body was prominent and wide. Sporocyst residuum was present, usually as a cluster of granules that appear to be membrane-bounded. The sporozoites were vermiform with one posterior refractile body and a centrally located nucleus. Besides recording the new host T. leucomelas, the identification of I. albicollis in the Itatiaia National Park and Cacaria, in southeastern Brazil, provide records of new localities for its parasitism, and reveals the wide distribution and dispersion of this coccidium in Brazil. Resumo O objetivo do presente estudo foi relatar e descrever Isospora albicollis Lainson e Shaw, 1989, parasitando um sabiá-coleira Turdus albicollis Vieillot, 1818 e um sabiá-barranco Turdus leucomelas Vieillot 1818, em duas localidades diferentes: Parque Nacional do Itatiaia e Cacaria, no Sudeste do Brasil. Os oocistos identificados foram ovóides, 24,4 × 19,7 μm, com uma parede lisa e dupla, com cerca de 1,4 μm de espessura. Resíduo do oocisto foi ausente, mas uma micrópila e um grânulo polar foram presentes. Esporocistos elipsoidais, 15,4 × 10,1 μm, corpo de Stieda em forma de botão a arredondado e corpo de sub-Stieda proeminente e largo. Resíduo do esporocisto presente, usualmente como um aglomerado de grânulos que parecem estar envolvidos por uma membrana. Esporozoítos vermiformes com um corpo refráctil posterior e um núcleo centralizado. Além de registrar o novo hospedeiro T. leucomelas, a identificação de I. albicollis no Parque Nacional de Itatiaia e Cacaria, no Sudeste do Brasil, fornece registros de novas localidades para seu parasitismo e revela a ampla distribuição e dispersão desse coccídio no Brasil.