The Plasmodiidae are a

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

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 ...

parasite Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted str ...

s, including the type

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 ...

'', which is responsible for

malaria Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...

. This family was erected in 1903 by Mesnil and is one of the four families in the

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * A socio-political or established or existing order, e.g. World order, Ancien Regime, Pax Britannica * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood ...

Haemospororida.

Diagnostic criteria

The diagnostic criteria of the Plasmodiidae are: * Macrogametes and microgamonts develop independently *

Meiosis Meiosis () is a special type of cell division of germ cells in sexually-reproducing organisms that produces the gametes, the sperm or egg cells. It involves two rounds of division that ultimately result in four cells, each with only one c ...

is absent * Microgametocyte produces eight flagellated microgametes *

Zygote A zygote (; , ) is a eukaryote, eukaryotic cell (biology), cell formed by a fertilization event between two gametes. The zygote's genome is a combination of the DNA in each gamete, and contains all of the genetic information of a new individ ...

is motile (known as an ookinete) * Conoid present in ookinete stage only * Sporozoites naked in oocyst (that is without a sporocyst) * Sporozoites have three walls *

Heteroxenous Heteroxeny, or heteroxenous development, characterizes a parasite whose development involves several host species. Heteroxeny has been used as the basis for splitting genera. When there are two or three hosts, the development cycle is named d ...

: merogony and gamogony occur in

vertebrate Vertebrates () are animals with a vertebral column (backbone or spine), and a cranium, or skull. The vertebral column surrounds and protects the spinal cord, while the cranium protects the brain. The vertebrates make up the subphylum Vertebra ...

host, and fertilization and sporogony in definitive host (a blood-sucking

insect Insects (from Latin ') are Hexapoda, hexapod invertebrates of the class (biology), class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (Insect morphology#Head, head, ...

) * Hemozoin pigment is produced

Taxonomy

The family Plasmodiidae has three sister taxa in the order Haemospororida: the families Garniidae, Haemoproteidae, and Leucocytozoidae. The Haemoproteidae and the Plasmodiidae both produce pigment, and these have been placed in the suborder Laveraniina. Neither the Haemoproteidae nor the Leucocytozoidae have an asexual cycle in the peripheral blood. The Garniidae do not produce pigment, but do have an asexual cycle in the blood. They appear to be the earliest diverging clade in this group. The Plasmodiidae contain these genera: * Genus '' Bioccala'' Landau ''et al'' 1984 * Genus '' Biguetiella'' Landau ''et al'' 1984 * Genus '' Billbraya'' Paperna & Landau 1990 * Genus '' Dionisia'' Landau ''et al'' 1980 * Genus '' Hepatocystis'' Miller 1908 * Genus '' Mesnilium'' Misra, Haldar & Chakravarty 1972 * Genus '' Nycteria'' Garnham and Heisch 1953 * Genus ''

'' Marchiafava & Celli 1885 ** Subgenus '' Asiamoeba'' Telford 1988 ** Subgenus '' Bennettinia'' Valkiūnas 1997 ** Subgenus '' Carinamoeba'' Garnham 1966 ** Subgenus '' Giovannolaia'' Corradetti, Garnham & Laird 1963 ** Subgenus '' Haemamoeba'' Grassi & Feletti 1890 ** Subgenus '' Huffia'' Garnham & Laird 1963 ** Subgenus '' Lacertaemoba'' Telford 1988 ** Subgenus '' Laverania'' Bray 1963 ** Subgenus '' Novyella'' Corradetti, Garnham & Laird 1963 ** Subgenus '' Ophidiella'' Garnham 1966 ** Subgenus '' Paraplasmodium'' Telford 1988 ** Subgenus ''

'' Bray 1963 emend. Garnham 1964 ** Subgenus '' Sauramoeba'' Garnham 1966 ** Subgenus '' Vinckeia'' Garnham 1964 * Genus '' Polychromophilus'' Landau ''et al'' 1984 * Genus '' Rayella'' Dasgupta 1967 * Genus '' Saurocytozoon'' Lainson & Shaw 1969 * Genus †'' Vetufebrus'' Poinar 2011 The genus ''Mesnilium'' is the only taxon that infects fish. The genus has a single species and has been reported only once. This genus may have been mistakenly placed in this family. DNA studies are likely to be needed to clarify this point.

References

{{Authority control Apicomplexa families Haemosporida