Laverania | |
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Macrogametocyte of Plasmodium falciparum | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Clade: | Diaphoretickes |
Clade: | Sar |
Clade: | Alveolata |
Phylum: | Apicomplexa |
Class: | Aconoidasida |
Order: | Haemospororida |
Family: | Plasmodiidae |
Genus: | Plasmodium |
Subgenus: | Laverania Bray, 1958 |
Species | |
See text |
Laverania is a subgenus of the parasite genus Plasmodium . Infection with these species results in malaria. The subgenus was first described in 1958. [1]
The name was first proposed by Welch in 1897 as a genus name for the group now known as Plasmodium but for a variety of reasons[ specify ] the genus name Plasmodium was preferred.
The first non-human primate parasites were described by Eduard Reichenow in Cameroon in 1920. He observed three morphologically distinct Plasmodium parasites in the blood of chimpanzees and gorillas in 1917. [2] These finding were later confirmed by other workers. [3] [4] One species closely resembled P. falciparum and was thought to be the same species. This species was later renamed P. reichenowi. [5]
The other two species — P. rhodaini and P. schwetzi — have since been placed in the subgenus Plasmodium.[ citation needed ]
The noticeable differences between P. falciparum and the other known Plasmodium species led to the proposal that it be placed in a separate genus Laverania. [1] This suggestion was not accepted but the proposed name is now used as the subgenus.[ citation needed ]
It has been proposed to rename P. gora and P. gorb as Plasmodium adleri and Plasmodium blacklocki respectively. [6] It has also been proposed that P. billbrayi be considered a junior synonym of P. gaboni. [6]
The full genomes of the seven species are now sequenced [7] and available on PlasmoDB.
"Plasmodium (Laverania)". NCBI Taxonomy Browser. 418107.