''Adelea'' is a genus of parasitic alveolates of the

phylum In biology, a phylum (; : phyla) is a level of classification, or taxonomic rank, that is below Kingdom (biology), kingdom and above Class (biology), class. Traditionally, in botany the term division (taxonomy), division has been used instead ...

Apicomplexa The Apicomplexa (also called Apicomplexia; single: apicomplexan) are organisms of a large phylum of mainly parasitic alveolates. Most possess a unique form of organelle structure that comprises a type of non-photosynthetic plastid called an ap ...

. The name is derived from the Greek word ''adēlos'' (meaning ''unseen''). The genus was created by Mesnili.

Taxonomy

''Adelea'' together with the genera '' Adelina'' and '' Ithania'' form the subfamily '' Ithaniinae''. This subfamily was created in 1947 by Ludwig to accommodate these genera of eimeria that share certain morphological features and infect the digestive tracts of insects.Ludwig FW (1947) Studies on the protozoan fauna of the larvae of the crane-fly, ''Tipula abdominali''; the life history of ''Ithania wenrichi'' n. gen., n. sp., a coccidian, found in the caeca and mid-gut, and a diagnosis of ''Ithaniinae'', n. subfamily. Trans Am Microsc Soc 66(1):22-33 The genus ''Adelina'' was created by Hesse in 1911 because of morphological differences between the species.

Description

The species in this genus are parasitic on

arthropod Arthropods ( ) are invertebrates in the phylum Arthropoda. They possess an arthropod exoskeleton, exoskeleton with a cuticle made of chitin, often Mineralization (biology), mineralised with calcium carbonate, a body with differentiated (Metam ...

s and have two

sporozoite Apicomplexans, a group of intracellular parasites, have life cycle stages that allow them to survive the wide variety of environments they are exposed to during their complex life cycle. Each stage in the life cycle of an apicomplexan organis ...

s in each sporocyst. During syngny, four

microgamete Different forms of anisogamy: A) anisogamy of motile cells, B) 283x283px Anisogamy is a form of sexual reproduction">egg cell">oogamy (egg cell and sperm cell), C) anisogamy of non-motile cells (egg cell and spermatia).">283x283px Anisogamy is ...

s associate with the

macrogamete Different forms of anisogamy: A) anisogamy of motile cells, B) 283x283px Anisogamy is a form of sexual reproduction">egg cell">oogamy (egg cell and sperm cell), C) anisogamy of non-motile cells (egg cell and spermatia).">283x283px Anisogamy is ...

. One microgamete penetrates the macrogamete and the remaining three die off.

References

Apicomplexa genera {{Apicomplexa-stub