Dionisia

For the Christian saint, see St. Denise.

Dionisia is a genus of parasitic protozoa belonging to the phylum Apicomplexia.

The type species of this genus is Dionisia bunoi.

Dionisia
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
(unranked): Alveolata
Phylum: Apicomplexa
Class: Aconoidasida
Order: Haemosporida
Family: Plasmodiidae
Genus: Dionisia
Species

Dionisia bunoi

Contents

Description

The genus was described by Landau et al. in 1980.[1]

The gametocytes are sexually dimorphic with the macrogametocytes being of the 'falciparum' type and the microgametocyte of the 'malariae' type.

The schizonts develop in the lumen of the liver blood vessels inside a greatly hypertrophied host cell. They remain moderate in size and their cytoplasm is not intensely basophilic as is usually in the young stages of other mammalian Haemosporidia.

Life cycle

Host range

The only known host of these parasites is the cyclops roundleaf bat (Hipposideros cyclops).

Geographical location

These parasites are found in Gabon, Africa.

Pathology and effects on the host

References

  1. ^ Landau I., Chabaud A.G., Miltgen F., Baccam D. (1980) Dionisia bunoi n. g. n. sp., Haemoproteidae parasite of the microchiropteran bat Hipposideros cyclops in Gabon. 55(3):271-280