Plasmodium giganteum is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Sauramoeba. As in all Plasmodium species, P. giganteum has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are reptiles.
Plasmodium giganteum | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Clade: | Diaphoretickes |
Clade: | SAR |
Clade: | Alveolata |
Phylum: | Apicomplexa |
Class: | Aconoidasida |
Order: | Haemospororida |
Family: | Plasmodiidae |
Genus: | Plasmodium |
Species: | P. giganteum
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Binomial name | |
Plasmodium giganteum Theiler, 1930
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Taxonomy
editThe parasite was first described by Theiler in 1930.
Description
editP. giganteum blood-stage parasites are described as being 2 to 6 times as large as the host cell nucleus. The gametocytes are round and elongated.[1]
Distribution
editHosts
editP. giganteum infects the rainbow lizard (Agama agama), as well as Agama mossambica and Agama cyanogaster.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c Telford SR (2009). Hemoparasites of the Reptilia: Color Atlas and Text. CRC Press. p. 14. ISBN 9781420080407.
Further reading
editSchall, JJ; Bromwich, CR (April 1994). "Interspecific interactions tested: two species of malarial parasite in a West African lizard". Oecologia. 97 (3): 326–332. Bibcode:1994Oecol..97..326S. doi:10.1007/BF00317322. PMID 28313627. S2CID 9890242.