Laverania is a subgenus of the genus Plasmodium. The subgenus was created in 1958 by Bray.[1]
| Plasmodium | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Chromalveolata |
| Superphylum: | Alveolata |
| Phylum: | Apicomplexa |
| Class: | Aconoidasida |
| Order: | Haemosporida |
| Family: | Plasmodiidae |
| Genus: | Plasmodium |
The name was first proposed by Welch in 1897 as a genus name for the group now known as Plasmodium but for a variety of reasons the genus name Plasmodium was preferred.
The first non human primate parasites were described by Eduard Reichenow in Cameroon in 1920. He observed in 1917 three morphologically distinct Plasmodium parasites in the blood of chimpanzees and gorillas.[2]. These finding were later confirmed by other workers.[3][4] One species closely resembled P. falciparum and was thought to be the same species. This species was later renamed P. reichenowi.[5]
The other two species - P. rhodaini and P. schwetzi - have since been placed in the subgenus Plasmodium.
The noticeable differences between P falciraum and the other known Plasmodium species lead to the proposal that it be placed in a separate genus Laverina.[1] This suggestion was not accepted but the proposed name is now used as the subgenus.
It has been proposed to rename P. gora and P. gorb as Plasmodium adleri and Plasmodium blacklocki respectively.[6] It has also been proposed that P. billbrayi be considered a junior synonom of P. gaboni.[6]
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