Sarcocystis species in moose (Alces alces), bison (Bison, bison), and pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) in Montana

Abstract

The transmission of Sarcocystis spp from naturally infected moose, bison, and pronghorn was attempted in laboratory-raised coyotes and dogs. Infected musculature from a moose was feed to a dog and a coyote, and 12 days later, both animals shed sporocysts. Sporocysts were 14 to 17 X 8.5 to 10.5 micron (av 14.5 X 8.8). A coyote was fed muscle from a bison, and 11 days later, it shed sporocysts. The sporocysts were 14 to 16 X 9 to 11 micron (14.0 X 9.0). Infected tissues from a pronghorn were fed to a dog; the dog did not shed sporocysts. Two morphologically distinct sarcocysts (thick walled and thin walled) were found in masculature of a moose. The name, Sarcocystis alceslatrans, sp n, is proposed for the thin-walled sarcocysts in the mouse.