''Lacertamoeba'' is a subgenus of the
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
''
Plasmodium
''Plasmodium'' is a genus of unicellular eukaryotes that are obligate parasites of vertebrates and insects. The life cycles of ''Plasmodium'' species involve development in a Hematophagy, blood-feeding insect host (biology), host which then inj ...
'' — all of which are parasites. All
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
in this subgenus infect
reptile
Reptiles, as commonly defined, are a group of tetrapods with an ectothermic metabolism and Amniotic egg, amniotic development. Living traditional reptiles comprise four Order (biology), orders: Testudines, Crocodilia, Squamata, and Rhynchocepha ...
s.
Taxonomy
This subgenus was created by Telford to refine the classification of species then given as ''
Plasmodium tropiduri''.
Species
* ''
Plasmodium arachniformis''
* ''
Plasmodium brygooi''
* ''
Plasmodium cnemaspi''
* ''
Plasmodium fischeri''
* ''
Plasmodium floridense''
* ''
Plasmodium gologoense''
* ''
Plasmodium holaspi''
* ''
Plasmodium intabazwe''
* ''
Plasmodium lepidoptiformis''
* ''
Plasmodium loveridgei''
* ''
Plasmodium pitmani''
* ''
Plasmodium tanzaniae''
* ''
Plasmodium torrealbai''
* ''
Plasmodium tropiduri''
* ''
Plasmodium uluguruense''
* ''
Plasmodium uzungwiense''
* ''
Plasmodium vautieri''
* ''
Plasmodium zonuriae''
Diagnostic features
Species in the subgenus ''Lacertamoeba'' have the following characteristics:The gametocytes are medium-sized
The schizonts undergo 3 to 5 nuclear divisions and are also medium-sized.
References
Plasmodium subgenera
{{Plasmodium-stub