First Report of Eimeria hydrophis (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Plain-Bellied Watersnake, Nerodia erythrogaster (Serpentes: Colubridae: Natricinae), from Oklahoma

Abstract

There are several reports of coccidian parasites (Apicomplexa) from plain-bellied
watersnakes, Nerodia erythrogaster collected from various locales in Arkansas and Texas. However, there are no reports of coccidians from this host or any other watersnake in Oklahoma. Here, we document, for the first time, Eimeria hydrophis from a N. erythrogaster collected in Oklahoma, as well as provide the first photomicrographs of the coccidian.