CHARACTERIZATION OF EIMERIA SPECIES .2. SEQUENTIAL MORPHOLOGIC STUDY OF THE ENDOGENOUS CYCLE OF EIMERIA-PERFORANS (LEUCKART, 1879, SLUITER AND SWELLENGREBEL, 1912) IN EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED-RABBITS

Specific pathogen free rabbits of certified origin were inoculated with a pure strain of Eimeria perforans that originated from a single oocyst. A sequential study of the endogenous development for the whole five day cycle was made by examining at light and electron microscopic levels samples of duodenal mucus, taken at 12 h intervals. A first schizogony was found to take place between 12 and 60 h, a second one between 72 and 84 h. Both asexual generations were represented by two types of schizonts: (1) containing 16-36 small mononucleated merozoites, produced by ectomerogony and determined as female, (2) containing 2-12 large multinucleated merozoites, produced by endomerogony and determined as male. © 1979 Springer-Verlag.