NEW RECORD OF PROTOZOAN NYCTOTHERUS HARDWICKII ( JANAKIDEVI , 1961 ) FROM ROUGH-TAILED GECKO CYRTOPODION SCABRUM IN BAGHDAD , IRAQ

The ciliate species isolated from midgut and hindgut of Rough-tailed gecko Cyrtopodion scabrum (Heyden, 1827), identified as Nyctotherus hardwickii was collected from many regions of Baghdad, Iraq. The current study deals with a description and comparison of the morphology and morphometric characters of this species for the first time in Iraq.

In Iraq Mahdi and Georg (1969) recorded this rough-tailed gecko in many regions, but there are few studies about their protozoan and other parasites infected by them.
Recordings of Nyctotherus sp. are few in the world at large and in Iraq in particular; that Satbige et al. (2017) recorded from two pet turtle were presented with a history of diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss and passage of undigested food in the faeces.Ze`phyrin et al. (2013) described two species of Nyctotheridae in Bufo regularis (Amphibia: Anura) from the Northwest of Cameroon.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The Rough-tailed gecko (Cyrtopodion scabrum) were collected from different localities of Baghdad city in May to October 2016.All gecko were diagnosed in the Iraqi Natural History Museum and Researches Center where it is the place of this work.Hosts were dissected and removed their digestive systems were removed, midgut, hindgut were taken out separately and kept in different watch glasses containing saline (0.6% NaCl) in distilled water solution.The gut smears were first examined under a light microscope and then a permanent preparation was made.Fixation was done by Canada balsam after staining with Aceto carmine stain.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
During the present study 28 gecko were dissected only 16 were positive for the presence of N. hardwickii in their guts; the infection rate was 57.14%.

Morphology
The body of the present ciliate is short elongate as short pearl-shape.It is wide at posterior and narrow at the anterior.The body is covered with the numerous cilia which are all the same length and same distribution but increase in the peristome (Tab.1).
The boundary between the ectoplasm and the endoplasm is clear.Ectoplasm is more homogenous and transparent, while endoplasm is opaque due to multiple organelles.Macronucleus is cup-shape, lies in anterior part, often having very large spherules chromatin.Micronucleus is spherical dote, superimposed on the macronucleus on the right.Peristome started up at middle of the body; Cytopharynx is almost straight and uniform in diameter, it may reach to the posterior region with obtuse angle.
Many glycogen bodies were distributed in endoplasm, giant form of glycogen body in anterior region, hence brown to black brown (Pl.1).There is a caudal projection in mid posterior end that eject and disappear during emotion containing cytopyge slit like which lead to contractile vacuole (Fig. 1).
Plate (1):Light micrograph directly smear of N. hardwickii without stain, 400X.The movement the cilia is forward and then moves a rotational motion, decentralized and turns its body in different directions; this shows a difference in the shape and location of the macronucleus (Pl.2).

Plate (2):
A difference in the shape and location of the macronucleus during the movement.

Description:
The ciliate lives in the middle and posterior intestine of the Rough-tailed gecko, collected from many regions of Baghdad capital of Iraq.The cell is pearl-shape, with the anterior end narrower than the posterior end.It measures about 3.9 -3.7 mm length, 3.1 -3 mm width, macronucleus 2.2 -2 mm length, 0.6 -0.8 mm width, glycogen body 0.3 -0.4 mm length, 0.4 -0.5 mm width, peristome length about 1.8 -2 mm with obtuse angle 130 º -125 º (Tab.2)
of the host: The Rough-tailed gecko, Cyrtopodion scabrum Type of the locality: Adhamiya middle of Baghdad capital of Iraq.Habitat: Mid and hindgut.Type of the specimens: Permanent preparation belonging to this species are kept in the Department of Parasitology, Iraq Natural History Researches Center and Museum, University of Baghdad, Iraq.

Table ( 1
): Comparison description of the species N. hardwickii