Plasmodium megaglobularis

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

Plasmodium megaglobularis is a species of malaria-causing parasite in the genus Plasmodium, subgenus Novyella.

Like all Plasmodium species, P. megaglobularis has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are birds.

Description

The parasite was first described by Valkiūnas et al. in 2008.[1]

Geographical occurrence

This parasite is found in Ghana and Cameroon.

Clinical features and host pathology

P. megaglobularis infects the olive sunbird (Cyanomitra olivacea).

References

  1. Valkiūnas G, Iezhova TA, Loiseau C, Chasar A, Smith TB, Sehgal RN (2008). "New species of haemosporidian parasites (Haemosporida) from African rainforest birds, with remarks on their classification.". Parasitol Res 103 (5): 1213–28. doi:10.1007/s00436-008-1118-x. PMID 18668264.