The protozoan phylum Apicomplexa Levine, 1970 comprises a large and heterogeneous assemblage of obligate intracellular parasites of medical and veterinary significance. The largest subgroup in this phylum is the suborder Eimeriorina Leger, 1911, which contains organisms collectively referred to as the coccidia. Predominantly intestinal parasites, coccidia infect all classes of vertebrates and most invertebrates. At present, the Eimeriorina has 10 families, at least 42 genera, and over 2,000 named species. Unfortunately, little is known about the majority of these species and few have been reported since their original descriptions.

In 1994, the National Science Foundation announced a special competition, termed the Partnerships for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy (PEET), which was designed to support competitively peer reviewed research projects on poorly known organisms. In 1995, the first 21 awards were announced which included NSF-PEET DEB 9521687 on the "Coccidia of the World." This endeavor, a joint effort between the University of New Mexico and Kansas State University, seeks to catalog all known species of coccidia within the family Eimeriidae Minchin, 1903 and organize the data into a retrievable and relational database in Microsoft ACCESS. As part of this project, portions of these data are being made available electronically on the world wide web. The database can normally be accessed through a server at the University of New Mexico (parent site) or, in case of a long term UNM server failure, from this sister site at Kansas State University. Once completed, the database will comprise approximately 100 web pages.

At this time, the coccidial species infecting most host groups have been researched although we continually uncover and correct errors. Still incomplete, however, are the coccidia of Caprinae, Lagomorpha, and Muridae. These three taxa represent difficult host groups as the coccidia are numerous and confused, but hopefully we can get those web pages posted by the end of 2001. We also have a large number of supplemental references to add to both the Galliformes and Bovidae, so please be patient until we find the time to enter these data as well.

As anyone who has studied the coccidia know, it is virtually impossible to locate all species descriptions of all coccidia everywhere. A large number of descriptions and redescriptions are published in obscure, regional journals or in journals not prominently cited in major databases in North America. Articles missing from our files are denoted in the bibliographies by an asterisk (*), and many of these are simply not available from any lending library in North America or the United Kingdom. So, if you have access to these or any that are not cited, we would greatly appreciate receiving photocopies.

Access the Coccidia of the World database

Coccidia of Fish
	Calyptospora Overstreet, Hawkins, and Fournie, 1984
	Chondrichthyes
	Classification of Teleosts; coccidia from orders not listed below
	Combined bibliography for all teleost coccidia
	Order: Anguilliformes
	Order: Clupeiformes
	Order: Cypriniformes
	Order: Cyprinodontiformes
	Order: Esociformes
	Order: Gadiformes
	Order: Gasterosteiformes
	Order: Perciformes
	Order: Salmoniformes
	Order: Scorpaeniformes
	Order: Siluriformes

Coccidia of Amphibia
	Anura
	Caudata
	Gymnophiona

Coccidia of Reptiles
	Amphisbaenia
	Chelonia
	Crocodilia
	Sauria
	Serpentes

Coccidia of Birds
	Anseriformes
	Apodiformes
	Charadriiformes
	Ciconiiformes
	Columbiformes
	Coraciiformes
	Cuculiformes
	Falconiformes
	Flightless land birds (multiple orders)
	Galliformes
	Gaviiformes
	Gruiformes
	Musophagiformes
	Passeriformes I - (Isospora spp)
	Passeriformes II - (Eimeria spp)
	Pelecaniformes
	Piciformes
	Procellariiformes
	Psittaciformes
	Sphenisciformes
	Strigiformes
	Tinamiformes

Coccidia of Mammals
	Artiodactyla I - Bovidae (excluding Caprinae)
	Artiodactyla II - Camelidae
	Artiodactyla III - Caprinae (partially completed)
	Artiodactyla IV - Cervidae
	Artiodactyla V - Miscellaneous families
	Artiodactyla VI - Suidae
	Carnivores I (Canids and Felids)
	Carnivores II (all other groups)
	Chiroptera
	Hydracoidea
	Insectivora
	Lagomorpha (not yet completed)
	Marine mammals (Cetacea, Pinnepeds, Sirenia)
	Marsupialia
	Monotremata
	Perissodactyla
	Primates and Scandentia
	Rodentia I - All families excluding Muridae and Sciuridae
	Rodentia II - Muridae (not yet completed)
	Rodentia III - Sciuridae
	Xenarthra

Minor Genera of Eimeriidae
	Barroussia Schneider, 1885
	Calyptospora Overstreet, Hawkins, and Fournie, 1984
	Caryospora Leger, 1904
	Caryotropha Siedlecki, 1902
	Cyclospora Schneider, 1881
	Defretinella Hennere, 1966
	Diaspora Leger, 1898
	Dorisa Levine, 1979
	Dorisiella Ray, 1930
	Genera of dubius validity
	Mantonella Vincent, 1936
	Ovivora Mackinnon & Ray, 1937
	Pfeifferinella von Wasielewski, 1904
	Pseudoklossia Leger & Duboscq, 1915
	Tyzzeria Allen, 1936
	Wenyonella Hoare, 1933

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