Plasmodium chiricahuae

Plasmodium chiricahuae is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Lacertaemoba.

Like all Plasmodium species P. chiricahuae has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are reptiles.

Plasmodium chiricahuae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Protista
Phylum: Apicomplexa
Class: Aconoidasida
Order: Haemosporida
Family: Plasmodiidae
Genus: Plasmodium
Species: P. chiricahuae
Binomial name
Plasmodium chiricahuae

Description

This species was described by Telford in 1970.

The schizonts rarely exceed the size of the nucleus of the cell and produce 4-10 merozoites.

The gametocytes are large (3-6 times the size of the nucleus of an uninfected cell) and almost fill the erythrocyte.

Geographical occurrence

This species is found in the south western United States and probably also in northern Mexico.

Clinical features and host pathology

This species infects spiny lizards of the genus Sceloporus.

References

    Further reading


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