Plasmodium cnemidophori
Encyclopedia
Plasmodium cnemidophori is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium
subgenus Sauramoeba
.
Like all Plasmodium species P. cnemidophori has both vertebrate
and insect
hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are lizard
s.
The schizonts and gametocyte
s caused hypertrophy and distortion of host cell and nucleus. The nucleus may be displaced.
Pigment is not located in a distinct vacuole
.
The schizonts are usually polar in position, rounded in shape, and may produce over 100 merozoites. Large schizonts visibly enlarge the erythrocyte. Mature schizonts
measure 13.0 +/- 0.4 (range: 10-15) micrometres x 10.8 +/- 3 (range: 8-13) micrometres.
The gametocytes are elongated and lateral in position.
Mature microgametocytes measure 11.8 +/- 0.9 (range: 10-15) micrometres x 8.8 +/- 0.6 (range:7-10) micrometres.
Plasmodium
Plasmodium is a genus of parasitic protists. Infection by these organisms is known as malaria. The genus Plasmodium was described in 1885 by Ettore Marchiafava and Angelo Celli. Currently over 200 species of this genus are recognized and new species continue to be described.Of the over 200 known...
subgenus Sauramoeba
Sauramoeba
Sauramoeba is a subgenus of the genus Plasmodium - all of which are parastic protozoa. The subgenus was created in 1966 by Garnham. Species in this subgenus infect reptiles.- Diagnostic features :...
.
Like all Plasmodium species P. cnemidophori has both vertebrate
Vertebrate
Vertebrates are animals that are members of the subphylum Vertebrata . Vertebrates are the largest group of chordates, with currently about 58,000 species described. Vertebrates include the jawless fishes, bony fishes, sharks and rays, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds...
and insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
s.
Description
The parasite was first described by Carini in 1941.The schizonts and gametocyte
Gametocyte
A gametocyte is a eukaryotic germ cell that divides by mitosis into other gametocytes or by meiosis into gametids during gametogenesis. Male gametocytes are called spermatocytes, and female gametocytes are called oocytes....
s caused hypertrophy and distortion of host cell and nucleus. The nucleus may be displaced.
Pigment is not located in a distinct vacuole
Vacuole
A vacuole is a membrane-bound organelle which is present in all plant and fungal cells and some protist, animal and bacterial cells. Vacuoles are essentially enclosed compartments which are filled with water containing inorganic and organic molecules including enzymes in solution, though in certain...
.
The schizonts are usually polar in position, rounded in shape, and may produce over 100 merozoites. Large schizonts visibly enlarge the erythrocyte. Mature schizonts
measure 13.0 +/- 0.4 (range: 10-15) micrometres x 10.8 +/- 3 (range: 8-13) micrometres.
The gametocytes are elongated and lateral in position.
Mature microgametocytes measure 11.8 +/- 0.9 (range: 10-15) micrometres x 8.8 +/- 0.6 (range:7-10) micrometres.