*3.4. Distribution of C. xiaoi Subtype Families by Host*

Among the 12 subtype families of *C. xiaoi*, XXIIIa (61), XXIIIc (2), XXIIIg (19), and XXIIIj (5) were detected only in goats, while the remaining eight subtype families were found in both sheep and goats. In addition, a common occurrence of co-infections with multiple subtype families was observed in these animals. Among the three breeds of sheep, 64 samples from Han sheep were successfully subtyped, yielding XXIIIb (14), XXIIId (3), XXIIIf (2), XXIIIh (13), XXIIIk (5), XXIIIl (25), XXIIId + XXIIIk (1), and XXIIId + XXIIIl (1); 52 samples from Hu sheep were successfully subtyped, yielding XXIIIb (8), XXIIIe (2), XXIIIf (1), XXIIIh (17), XXIIIk (3), XXIIIl (17), XXIIIh + XXIIIk (2), XXIIIb + XXIIIk, (1) and XXIIId + XXIIIl (1); only a few samples from Tibetan sheep were successfully subtyped, yielding XXIIId (1), XXIIIe (1), XXIIIh (1), and XXIIIi (3). Between the two breeds of goats, only XXIIIa was identified in Black goats, while more divergent subtype families were detected in Huanghuai goats, yielding XXIIIa (26), XXIIIb (7), XXIIIc (2), XXIIId (6), XXIIIe (10), XXIIIf (7), XXIIIg (19), XXIIIh (11), XXIIIi (7), XXIIIj (5), XXIIIk (12), and XXIIIl (22). Noticeably, co-infections of various subtype families were detected in Huanghuai goats, including XXIIIa + XXIIIg (1), XXIIIb + XXIIIl (1), XXIIIh + XXIIIi (1), XXIIIh + XXIIIj (1), XXIIIh + XXIIIk (2), and XXIIIi + XXIIIl (1) (Table 1).
