324 



SARCOCYSTIS, TOXOPLASMA AND RELATED PROTOZOA 



SARCOCYSTIS LINDEMANNI 

 (RIVOLTA, 1878) 



Synonyms : Gregaritia lindemanni, 

 Sarcocyslis hominis. 



Host: Man. 



Location : Striated and heart muscles. 



Geographic Distribution : Worldwide. 



Prevalence : This name has been 

 given to various sarcocysts of different 

 sizes which have been found on rare occa- 

 sions in man. It is extremely doubtful 

 that man has a species of his own, and 

 these cases were most probably infections 

 with forms from domestic animals. The 

 differences in size of trophozoites given 

 in different reports bear this out (cf. Kean 

 and Grocott, 1945). 



Morphology : The cysts are up to 5. 3 

 cm long, but are usually much smaller. 

 Compartmentation has been described. 

 The cyst wall is apparently smooth. The 

 trophozoites vary in size; most are in the 

 range of 7 to 10 by 2 to 3 /i, but small ones 

 5 by 2ji have also been reported. 



SARCOCYSTIS MURIS 

 BLANCHARD, 1885 



Hosts : House mouse, Norway rat, 

 black rat. 



Location: Striated and heart muscles. 



Geographic Distribution : Worldwide. 



Prevalence : At one time this species 

 was common in laboratory mice, but it is 

 less so today. According to Deschiens, 

 Levaditi and Lamy (1957), it is quite rare 

 in laboratory mice, and they did not en- 

 counter it in laboratory rats in France 

 during the previous 4 years. 



Morphology : The cysts are elongate, 

 range in length up to several centimeters, 

 and are apparently not compartmented. 

 The cyst wall is smooth. The trophozoites 

 are 9 to 15fi long and 2. 5 to 3jn wide. 



SAR C OC YS TIS C UNIC ULI 

 BRUMPT, 1913 



Synonym : Sarcocystis leporum. 



Hosts : Domestic rabbit, cottontail. 



Location : Striated and heart muscles, 

 especially in the hind legs, flanks and loins. 



Geographic Distribution : Worldwide. 



Prevalence : This species is common 

 in cottontails. Erickson (1946) found it in 

 38% of 78 cottontails in Minnesota. It is 

 apparently not common in domestic rab- 

 bits. Deschiens, Levaditi and Lamy (1957) 

 said that it is very rare in France. 



Morphology : The cysts are up to 5 

 mm long. They are compartmented, and 

 their walls have a layer of cytophaneres. 

 The trophozoites usually measure 12 to 

 13 by 4 to 5 (li, but range in length from 6 

 to 16 /J,. 



SARCOCYSTIS RILEYI 

 (STILES, 1893) 



Synonyms : Balbiania rileyi, Sarco- 

 cystis anatina, Sarcocystis horwathi, 

 Sarcocystis gallinarum . 



Hosts : Domestic duck and various 

 wild ducks, including the mallard, black 

 duck, gadwall, American pintail, blue- 

 winged teal and shoveller. In addition, 

 this species has been found in the chicken 

 (Hawkins, 1943), sage grouse (Salt, 1958) 

 and a number of other wild birds. Erick- 

 son (1940) listed 20 species of birds be- 

 longing to 8 orders in which Sarcocystis 

 had been found. 



Location : Striated and heart muscles, 

 especially of the breast, neck and legs. 



Geographic Distribution : Worldwide. 



Prevalence : This species is especially 

 common in surface-feeding wild ducks, but 

 not in diving ducks. Erickson (1940) re- 

 ported it from 3% of 312 wild ducks in 

 Minnesota. It is not uncommon for hunters 



