Faecal samples from 23 adult and 20 young captive Yemen chameleons, Chamaeleo calyptratus Duméril et Duméril, 1851, were examined for coccidian parasites. Two of the adult (8.7 %) and 16 (80.0 %) of the young chameleons were found to be passing oocysts of the Isospora species. Sporulated oocysts of Isospora jaracimrmani sp. n. are ellipsoidal or pyriform, 38.4 x 25.6 (35.2-42.8 x 23.8-27.0) pm, with smooth bilayered and colourless oocyst wall. A micropyle, oocyst residuum and polar granule are absent. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal to ovoid, 15.9 x 11.2 (14.8-17.0 x 10.4-12.0) pm, with dome-like Stieda and homogenous spherical substieda bodies. The posterior end of the sporocyst is draw out. Sporocyst residuum is present, consisting either of a compact mass or of scattered granules. Sporozoites, with faint transverse striations anteriorly, are vermiform, 13.1 x 3.4 (12.4-16.5 x 2.8-4.0) pm. Most oocysts are to sporulate when excreted; sporulation was completed within 12 to 24 h at 25 ± 2"C. Endogenous stages develop inside the nuclei of enterocytes in the small intestine. Prepatent period in experimentally infected young chameleon was 7 days. Comparison with other species of the genus Isospora found in chameleons indicates that it is a new species.
Seven of 12 lacertid lizards Acanthodactylus boskianus (Daiidin, 1802), passed oocysts of an Isospora species. Comparison with other species of the genus Isospora Schneider, 1881 indicated that found coccidium represented a new species, for which the name /. abdallahi is proposed. Sporulated oocysts of /. abdallahi are spherical or subspherical, 25.8 (24.5-29.0) x 23.9 (23.0-25.5) pm, shape index (length/width) being 1.07 (1.00-1.16), with a smooth, bilayered oocyst wall that is slightly yellowish, about 2 pm thick. Micropyle, oocyst residuum and polar granule are absent. Sporocysts are ovoidal, 15.4 (14.0-16.0 x 9.4 (9.0-10.0) pm, with smooth and colorless sporocyst wall, shape index 1.6 (1.5-1.8). Stieda body is dome-like, substieda body spherical to subspherical. Sporocyst residuum is composed of numerous granules of different size, scattered among sporozoites. Most oocysts are passed unsporulated; sporulation was completed within 12 h at 25'C. Endogenous development occurs inside nuclei of enterocytes in the small intestine.