Plasmodium pifanoi

Plasmodium pifanoi is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Paraplasmodium. As in all Plasmodium species, P. pifanoi has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are lizards.

Plasmodium pifanoi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Chromista
Subkingdom: Harosa
Infrakingdom: Halvaria
Superphylum: Alveolata
Phylum: Apicomplexa
Class: Aconoidasida
Order: Haemospororida
Family: Plasmodiidae
Genus: Plasmodium
Species:
P. pifanoi
Binomial name
Plasmodium pifanoi
Scorza and Dagert, 1956

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Scorza and Dagert in 1956. It was redescribed in 2003 by Telford.[1]

Description

The asexual stages are irregular in shape and do not have a vacuole.

Schizonts measure 6.2 × 4.5 micrometres (range: 4 – 8 × 3 – 6) and produce on average 11.9 (range: 7 – 16) merozoites.

Gametocytes average 12.4 × 6.0 micrometres (range: 8 – 16 × 4 – 10). The average length × width product is 72.9 (range: 52 – 112) and the average length / width ratio is 2.18 (range: 1.1 – 3.3). The gametocytes always contain 1 – 5 prominent vacuoles.

Macrogametocytes during active infection are longer than microgametocytes with a greater length-width product. Gametocytes in chronic infection are slightly smaller and are not sexually dimorphic in their dimensions.

Distribution

Found in Venezuela, South America.

Hosts

Known hosts are the lizards Ameiva ameiva and Kentropyx calcarata.

References
  1. Telford S. R. Jr., Telford S.R. III (2003) Rediscovery and redescription of Plasmodium pifanoi and description of two additional Plasmodium parasites of Venezuelan lizards. J. Parasitol. 89(2) 362–368


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