Atoxoplasma (Apicomplexa: Eimeriorina: Atoxoplasmatidae) in the greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)

Merozoites of an Atoxoplasma species were present within parasitophorous vacuoles in the cytoplasm of leucocytes in the blood vessels in the small intestine of the greenfinch (Carduelis chloris). The merozoites indented the nucleus of the leucocytes. Merozoites, macrogametes, and microgamonts were present in the epithelial cells of the intestines. No merogony was observed. Experiments provided circumstantial evidence linking disporocystid-octozoic oocysts with the blood and intestinal infections.