''Gousseffia'' is a genus of parasitic

alveolates The alveolates (meaning "pitted like a honeycomb") are a group of protists, considered a major unranked clade or superphylum within Eukaryota. They are currently grouped with the Stramenopiles and Rhizaria among the protists with tubulocristat ...

belonging to 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 ...

. This genus was originally named '' Yakimovella'' after the parasitologist Yakimoff.Levine ND, Ivens V (1979) The coccidia (Protozoa, Apicomplexa) of insectivores. Revista iber Parasit 39 (1-4): 269 Levine in 1980 noted that this genus name was already in use and renamed the genus ''Gousseffia''.Levine ND (1980) Some corrections of coccidian (Apicomplexa: Protozoa) nomenclature. J Parasitol 66: 830-834

Taxonomy

There is only one described species in this genus - ''Gousseffia erinacei''.

Life cycle

Little is known about this genus. It is presumably transmitted by the orofaecal route. Each

oocyst 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 organism ...

s has 8 sporocysts. Each sporocyst has numerous

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 ...

Host records

This genus and species has been described in the European hedgehog (''

Erinaceus europaeus The European hedgehog (''Erinaceus europaeus''), also known as the West European hedgehog or common hedgehog, is a hedgehog species native to Europe from Iberia and Italy northwards into Scandinavia and westwards into the British Isles.Harris, S. ...

'').

History

This genus and species was described by Gousseff in 1937. It was renamed by Levine in 1980.

References

Apicomplexa genera {{Apicomplexa-stub