Table 1 Comparative morphology of E. davidianusi from Père David’s deer with other Eimeria species recorded from ruminants and the pig

E. bukidnonensis

Cattle

Pyriform

47.4 × 33 (43–51 × 30–35)

1.44

2-layered (3.5)

Present

Absent

Absent

Elongate

19.6 × 9.8 (18–21 × 9–11)

2.00

Present

Absent

Courtney et al., 1976 [35]

E. wyomingensis

Cattle

Pyriform

39.9 × 28.3 (36–44 × 26–30)

1.41

2-layered (2.5)

Present

Absent

Absent

Elongate

18.7 × 8.6 (17–20 × 8–10)

2.17

Present

Absent

Courtney et al., 1976 [35]

E. alabamensis

Cattle

Pyriform

19.5 × 14.3 (16–25× 12–17)

1.36

1-layered (0.5)

Absent

N/A

Absent

Elongate

8.2 × 3.8

2.16

Tiny

Tiny

Christensen, 1941 [36]

E. subspherica

Cattle

Subspherical

11.5 × 10.6 (9–13 × 8–12)

1.08

N/A

Absent

N/A

Absent

Elongate

8.1 × 3.6

2.25

Tiny

Absent

Christensen, 1941 [36]

E. macusanieniensis

Alpaca

Ovoid to pyriform

93.6 × 67.4 (81–107 × 61–80)

1.39

3-layered (8–12)

Prominent (9–14)

Absent

Absent

Elongate to ovoid

36.3 × 18.3 (33–40 × 16–20)

1.98

Faintly perceptible

Faintly perceptible

Guerrero et al., 1971 [37]

E. intricata

Sheep

Ellipsoidal to ovoid

50 × 38 (39–59 × 27–47)

1.32

2-layered (2.4–3.8)

Present

Present

Absent

Elongate to ovoid

17–22 × 9–14

N/A

Absent

Present

Hao, 2017 [38]

E. mayeri

Reindeer

Spheroidal to ellipsoidal

17.2 × 14.1 (9–21 × 9–16)

1.22

2-layered (1)

Present (<1)

Absent

Absent

Ovoid

9.3 × 5.1 (8–11 × 4–6)

1.82

Nipple-like

Inconspicuous

Gudmundsdottir and Skirnisson, 2005 [39]

E. rangiferis

Reindeer

Ovoid

34.9 × 27.6 (31–38 × 25–30)

1.26

2-layered (1.8–2.0)

Present (4–6)

Absent

Absent

Spindle shaped

18.6 × 9.2 (17–20 × 8.0–10)

2.02

Nipple-like

Present

Gudmundsdottir and Skirnisson, 2005 [39]

E. hreindyria

Reindeer

Ellipsoidal

30.0 × 21.1 (24–35 × 18–23)

1.42

2-layered (0.8–1.2)

Absent

Present

Absent

Spindle shaped

15.3 × 6.5 (13–18 × 6–8)

2.35

Present

Present

Gudmundsdottir and Skirnisson, 2006 [40]

E. alces

Elk

Ovoid

38.0 × 26.1 (33–43 × 24–29)

1.46

2-layered (2.2)

Distinct (~7)

Present

Absent

Ovoid to elongate

18.6 × 8.9 (17.0–21 × 8–10)

2.09

Present

Absent

Pyziel and Demiaszkiewicz, 2013 [24]

E. cervi

Sika deer

Pyriform

35.2 × 25.1 (26–39 × 20–29)

1.40

2-layered (0.6–1.0)

Prominent (4.2)

Absent

Absent

Long oval

18.2 × 9.7

N/A

Present

Present

Lu, 1995 [41]

E. robusta

Sika deer

Ovoid

35.3 × 26.1 (27–41 × 21–30)

1.35

2-layered (0.6–1.1)

Prominent (5.8)

Absent

Absent

Long oval

18.2 × 9.6

N/A

Present

Present

Lu, 1995 [41]

E. sordida

Sika deer

Ellipsoidal to ovoid

34.3 × 25.6 (30–38 × 21–28)

1.34

2-layered (0.4–1.1)

Prominent (5.8)

Absent

Absent

Long oval

20.1 × 8.9

N/A

Present

Present

Lu, 1995 [41]

E. austriaca

Sika deer

Ellipsoidal to ovoid

23.3 × 20.0 (19–26 × 15–23)

1.16

layered (0.4–1.1)

Absent

Absent

Absent

Long oval

10.7 × 6.4

N/A

Absent

Absent

Lu, 1995 [41]

E. sp-1

Sika deer

Subspherical

28.0 × 26.3 (24–31 × 21–30)

1.07

2-layered (0.3–1.1)

Absent

Absent/only one

Absent

ovoid

15.0 × 8.6

N/A

Present

Present

Lu, 1995 [41]

E. sp-2

Sika deer

Ellipsoidal

33.4 × 25.7 (27–38 × 20–28)

1.30

2-layered (0.5–1.0)

Absent

Absent

Absent

Long oval

19.1 × 10.0

N/A

Absent

Present

Lu, 1995 [41]

E. scabra

Pig

Ovoid to subspherical

25–45 × 18–28

N/A

2-layered (1.5–3)

Present

Present

Absent

Ovoid

14–18 × 7–9

N/A

Prominent

Present

Levine, 1985 [42]

E. davidianusi

Père David's deer

Pyriform

41.2×29.5 (39-43×26-31)

1.40

2-layered (1.5–2.9)

Prominent (2.8–4.0)

Absent

Absent

Spindle shaped

18.2×10.5 (16-20×10-12)

1.73

Present

Present

Present study