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[Endolimax nana] [Entamoeba coli] [Entamoeba hartmanni] [Entamoeba polecki] [Iodamoeba buetschlii]

Mature Entamoeba coli cysts typically have 8 nuclei, and measure usually 15 to 25 µm (range 10 to 35 µm).  E. coli is the only species of Entamoeba with more than four nuclei in the cyst stage.  Chromatoid bodies are seen less frequently than in E. histolytica.  When present they are usually splinter like with pointed ends and thus different from the chromatoid bodies of E. histolytica, which have rounded ends.

A	B

A: Line drawing of an E. coli cyst.
B: E. coli cyst in a concentrated wet mount.

C	D

C:  E. coli cyst in a concentrated wet mount stained with iodine.  The cyst in C shows 5 nuclei in this focal plane.
D:  E. coli cyst in a formalin concentrated wet mount stained with iodine.

E	F

E, F: E. coli cysts in a formalin concentrated wet mount stained with iodine.