Plasmodium giganteum

Plasmodium giganteum is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Sauramoeba.

Like all Plasmodium species P. giganteum has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are reptiles.

Plasmodium giganteum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Protista
Phylum: Apicomplexa
Class: Aconoidasida
Order: Haemosporida
Family: Plasmodiidae
Genus: Plasmodium
Species: P. giganteum
Binomial name
Plasmodium giganteum

Description

The parasite was first described by Theiler in 1930.

The schizonts produce over 100 merozoites.

Geographical occurrence

This species is found in Sierra Leone, Africa.

Clinical features and host pathology

This species infects the rainbow lizard (Agama agama) and the agamid lizard (Amphibolurus barbatus).

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. 


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