Ultrastructural and Molecular Confirmation of Sarcocystis felis from Florida Panther (Puma concolor coryi)

Sarcocystis felis, originally named for sarcocysts in the bobcat (Lynx rufus), has been reported in domestic cats (Felis catus) and several other wild felids in the Americas. However, ultrastructural confirmation of the sarcocyst wall, an important criterion for taxonomy of Sarcocystis species, is lacking in many reports. Here, we report ultrastructural confirmation of S. felis in the limb musculature of the Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) in Florida. Sarcocysts in the Florida panther were thin-walled and had a “type 9c” cyst wall. Molecularly, 100% identity of the ITS1 region from the panther isolates with other felid isolates supported the ultrastructural findings.