Plasmodium giganteum
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 | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| (unranked): | Diaphoretickes |
| Clade: | TSAR |
| Clade: | SAR |
| Infrakingdom: | Alveolata |
| Phylum: | Apicomplexa |
| Class: | Aconoidasida |
| Order: | Haemospororida |
| Family: | Plasmodiidae |
| Genus: | Plasmodium |
| Species: | P. giganteum |
| Binomial name | |
| Plasmodium giganteum Theiler, 1930 | |
Taxonomy
The parasite was first described by Theiler in 1930.
Description
P. 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
P. giganteum has only been described in Gbanga, Liberia.[1]
Hosts
P. giganteum infects the rainbow lizard (Agama agama), as well as Agama mossambica and Agama cyanogaster.[1]
References
- Telford SR (2009). Hemoparasites of the Reptilia: Color Atlas and Text. CRC Press. p. 14. ISBN 9781420080407.
Further reading
Schall, JJ; Bromwich, CR (April 1994). "Interspecific interactions tested: two species of malarial parasite in a West African lizard". Oecologia. 97 (3): 326–332. doi:10.1007/BF00317322.