Over 90 species and subspecies of Plasmodium infect lizards. They have been reported from over 3200 species of lizard but only 29 species of snake. Three species - P. pessoai, P. tomodoni and P. wenyoni - infect snakes. These species belong to the subgenera Asiamoeba , Carinamoeba , Fallisia , Garnia , Lacertamoeba , Ophidiella , Paraplasmodium and Sauramoeba . [1] Additional species continue to be described. [2]
Compared with those known for the species infecting humans, few vectors are known for these species.
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 minasense is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Carinamoeba.
Plasmodium fairchildi is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium.
Plasmodium colombiense is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium.
Plasmodium kentropyxi is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Sauramoeba.
Lacertamoeba is a subgenus of the genus Plasmodium — all of which are parasites. All species in this subgenus infect reptiles.
Plasmodium guyannense is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Sauramoeba. As in all Plasmodium species, P. guyannense has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are reptiles.
Plasmodium marginatum is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Sauramoeba. As in all Plasmodium species, P. marginatum has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are reptiles.
Plasmodium vacuolatum is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium.
Plasmodium telfordi is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium.
Plasmodium tropiduri is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Lacertaemoba. As in all Plasmodium species, P. tropiduri has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are reptiles.
Choleoeimeria is a genus of alveolate parasites that infect the biliary tracts of reptiles. Morphologically they are similar to the Eimeria, to whom they are closely related. The genus was described in 1989 by Paperna and Landsberg.
Acroeimeria is a genus of parasites that contains those species which initially develop immediately beneath the brush-border of the intestinal epithelium, but the meronts and gamonts of which are early on extruded to form a layer on the surface of the gut mucosa. Morphologically they are similar to the Eimeria to which they are closely related. The genus was described in 1989 by Paperna and Landsberg.
Kentropyx calcarata, commonly known as the striped forest whiptail, is a species of lizard endemic to South America.
