Plasmodiidae | |
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A mature Plasmodium vivax trophozoite | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Clade: | Diaphoretickes |
Clade: | SAR |
Clade: | Alveolata |
Phylum: | Apicomplexa |
Class: | Aconoidasida |
Order: | Haemospororida |
Family: | Plasmodiidae Mesnil, 1903 |
Genera | |
See text |
The Plasmodiidae are a family of apicomplexan parasites, including the type genus Plasmodium , which is responsible for malaria. This family was erected in 1903 by Mesnil and is one of the four families in the order Haemospororida.
The diagnostic criteria of the Plasmodiidae are:
The family Plasmodiidae has three sister taxa in the order Haemospororida: the families Garniidae, Haemoproteidae, and Leucocytozoidae.
The Haemoproteidae and the Plasmodiidae both produce pigment, and these have been placed in the suborder Laveraniina.
Neither the Haemoproteidae nor the Leucocytozoidae have an asexual cycle in the peripheral blood.
The Garniidae do not produce pigment, but do have an asexual cycle in the blood. They appear to be the earliest diverging clade in this group.
The Plasmodiidae contain these genera:
The genus Mesnilium is the only taxon that infects fish. The genus has a single species and has been reported only once. This genus may have been mistakenly placed in this family. DNA studies are likely to be needed to clarify this point.
Plasmodium is a genus of unicellular eukaryotes that are obligate parasites of vertebrates and insects. The life cycles of Plasmodium species involve development in a blood-feeding insect host which then injects parasites into a vertebrate host during a blood meal. Parasites grow within a vertebrate body tissue before entering the bloodstream to infect red blood cells. The ensuing destruction of host red blood cells can result in malaria. During this infection, some parasites are picked up by a blood-feeding insect, continuing the life cycle.
Giovanolaia is a subgenus of the genus Plasmodium created by Corradetti et al. in 1963. The parasites within this subgenus infect birds.
Haemamoeba is a subgenus of the genus Plasmodium — all of which are parasites. The subgenus was created in 1963 by created by Corradetti et al.. Species in this subgenus infect birds.
Huffia is a subgenus of the genus Plasmodium - all of which are parasites. The subgenus was created in 1963 by Corradetti et al.. Species in this subgenus infect birds with malaria.
Novyella is a subgenus of the genus Plasmodium - all of which are parasites. The subgenus was created in 1963 by Corradetti et al. Species in this subgenus infect birds. It unites the avian malaria parasites with small erythrocytic meronts and elongated gametocytes.
Plasmodium kentropyxi is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Sauramoeba.
Sauramoeba is a subgenus of the genus Plasmodium, all of which are parasitic eukaryotes. The subgenus was created in 1966 by Garnham. Species in this subgenus infect reptiles.
Carinamoeba is a subgenus of the genus Plasmodium - all of which are parasitic unicellular eukaryotes.
Leucocytozoon is a genus of parasitic alveolates belonging to the phylum Apicomplexa.
Haemoproteus is a genus of alveolates that are parasitic in birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Its name is derived from Greek: haima 'blood' and Proteus, a sea god that had the power to assume various shapes. The name Haemoproteus was first used in the description of H. columbae in the blood of the pigeon Columba livia by Walther Kruse in 1890. This was also the first description of this genus. Two other genera—Halteridium and Simondia—are now considered to be synonyms of Haemoproteus.
The Haemosporida are an order of intraerythrocytic parasitic alveolates.
Apicomplexans, a group of intracellular parasites, have life cycle stages that allow them to survive the wide variety of environments they are exposed to during their complex life cycle. Each stage in the life cycle of an apicomplexan organism is typified by a cellular variety with a distinct morphology and biochemistry.
Fallisia is a genus of the family Plasmodiidae.
Polychromophilus is a genus of obligate intracellular eukaryotic parasites that infect bats from every continent except Antarctica. They are transmitted by bat flies, which act as an insect vector as well as the parasite’s site of sporogeny. Polychromophilus follows a fairly typical Haemospororidian lifecycle, with gametocytes and gametes restricted to the bloodstream of the host and meronts infecting organs – most notably the lungs and the liver. The type species is Polychromophilus melanipherus, and was described by Dionisi in 1898.
Haemosporidiasina (Haemosporidia) is a subclass of apicomplexans described by Jacques Euzéby in 1988. The taxon is very similar to Aconoidasida.
Nycteria is a genus of protozoan parasites that belong to the phylum Apicomplexa. It is composed of vector-borne haemosporidian parasites that infect a wide range of mammals such as primates, rodents and bats. Its vertebrate hosts are bats. First described by Garnham and Heisch in 1953, Nycteria is mostly found in bat species where it feeds off the blood of their hosts and causes disease. Within the host, Nycteria develops into peculiar lobulated schizonts in parenchyma cells of the liver, similarly to the stages of Plasmodium falciparum in the liver. The vector of Nycteria has been hard to acquire and identify. Because of this, the life cycle of Nycteria still remains unknown and understudied. It has been suggested that this vector could be an arthropod other than a mosquito or the vector of most haemosporidian parasites.
Haemocystidium is a genus of parasitic alveolates belonging to the phylum Apicomplexia.
Garnia is a genus of parasitic alveolates belonging to the phylum Apicomplexia.
Achromatorida is an order of non-pigmented intraerythrocytic parasitic alveolates belonging to the subclass Haemosporidiasina. The order was created by Jacques Euzéby in 1988.
The Haemoproteidae are a family of parasitic alveolates in the phylum Apicomplexa.