''Plasmodium vautieri'' is a parasite of the genus ''

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 blood-feeding insect host which then injects parasites into a vert ...

'' subgenus ''

Lacertamoeba ''Lacertamoeba'' is a subgenus of the genus ''Plasmodium'' — all of which are parasites. All species in this subgenus infect reptiles. Taxonomy This subgenus was created by Telford to refine the classification of species then given as '' Plas ...

''. As in all species of the genus ''Plasmodium'', ''P. vautieri'' has both

vertebrate Vertebrates () comprise all animal taxon, taxa within the subphylum Vertebrata () (chordates with vertebral column, backbones), including all mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Vertebrates represent the overwhelming majority of the ...

and

insect Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs ...

hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are reptiles.

Taxonomy

The parasite was first described by Pessoa and de Blasi in 1973.Pessoa SB & de Biasi P(1973) Plasmódio de uma lagartixa ''Urostrophus vautieri'' D. & B. (Sauria, Iguanidae). Memórias do Instituto Butantan 37: 309

Description

The meronts give rise to 10-20 merozoites arranged in a rosette. The meronts measure 4.8 - 7.5 x 3.5 - 6.0

micron The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer ( American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Un ...

s. Pigment granules are occur either as a central mass or at the edge of the cell. The gametocytes are ovoid. There is no apparent difference between the male and female gametocytes. The gametocytes measure 5.0 - 7.5 x 3.0 - 4.0

Distribution

This species is found in Brazil, South America.

Hosts

The only known host is the lizard ''

Urostrophus vautieri ''Urostrophus vautieri'', the Brazilian steppe iguana, is a species of lizard in the family Leiosauridae. The species is endemic to Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest ...

''.

References

vautieri {{plasmodium-stub