Over 90 species and subspecies of Plasmodium infect lizards. They have been reported from over 3200 species of lizard but only 29 species of snake. Three species - P. pessoai, P. tomodoni and P. wenyoni - infect snakes. These species belong to the subgenera Asiamoeba, Carinamoeba, Fallisia, Garnia, Lacertamoeba, Ophidiella, Paraplasmodium and Sauramoeba.[1] Additional species continue to be described.[2]
Host records
- P. agamae - the rainbow lizard (Agama agama)
- P. attenuatum - Ameiva ameiva
- P. arachniformis - chameleons
- P. aurulentum - neotropical forest gecko (Thecadactylus rapicaudus)
- P. azurophilum - anole lizards (Anolis gingivinus, Anolis gundlachi, Anolis sabanus)
- P. bailli - Anolis lizards (Anolis limifrons, Anolis lionotus and Anolis poecilopus)
- P. basilisci - the striped basilisk (Basiliscus vittatus)
- P. beebei - the gecko (Gonatodes taniae)
- P. brygooi - short-horned chameleon (Chamaeleo brevicornis)
- P. chiricahuae - fence lizard (Sceloporus jarrovi)
- P. circularis - Australian skink (Egernia stokesii)
- P. cnemaspi - African gecko (Cnemaspis africana)
- P. cnemidophori - Ameiva ameiva
- P. colombiense - Anolis lizard (Anolis auratus)
- P. diploglossi - Anguid lizard (Diploglossus fasciatus)
- P. draconis - the flying lizard (Draco volans)
- P. egerniae - the land mullet (Egernia major)
- P. fairchildi - Anolis lizard (Anolis cupreus)
- P. floridense - anole lizards (Anolis biporcatus, Anolis carolinensis, Anolis frenatus, Anolis gingivinus, Anolis gundlachi, Anolis limifrons, Anolis pentaprion, Anolis sabanus and Anolis sagrei)
- P. giganteum - the rainbow lizard (Agama agama), the African tropical lizard (Agama cyanogaster)[3]
- P. gologoense - chameleons
- P. gracilis - skink (Tribolonotus gracilis)
- P. guyannense - the iguanid lizard (Plica plica)
- P. heischi - skinks (Mabuya striata)[4]
- P. hispaniolae - Anolis lizards
- P. holaspi - African flying lizard (Holaspis guentheri)
- P. iguanae - Iguana iguana iguana
- P. kentropyxi - teiid lizard (Kentropyx calcarata)
- P. lacertiliae - crocodile skink (Tribolonotus species)
- P. lainsoni - the gecko (Phyllodactylus ventralis)
- P. lepidoptiformis - teiid lizard (Kentropyx calcarata)
- P. lionatum - the flying gecko (Ptychozoon lionatum)
- P. loveridgei - African gecko (Lygodactylus picturatus)
- P. lygosomae - skink (Lygosoma moco)
- P. mabuiae - African skink (Mabuya quinquetaeiata)
- P. mackerrasae - Australian skinks (Egernia cunninghami, Egernia stokesii and Egernia striolata)
- P. maculilabre - African skink (Mabuya species)
- P. marginatum - Anolis lizard (Anolis frenatus)
- P. mexicanum - fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis)
- P. michikoa - chameleons
- P. minasense - African skink (Mabuya agilis)
- P. minasense anolisi - Anolis lizards (Anolis cybotes, Anolis distichus, Anolis frenatus and Anolis limifrons)
- P. minasense calcaratae - teiid lizard (Kentropyx calcarata)
- P. minasense capitoi - Anolis lizard (Anolis capito)
- P. minasense carinii - iguanid lizard (Iguana iguana)
- P. minasense diminutivum - dwarf tegu lizard (Ameiva ameiva)
- P. minasense minasense - African skink (Mabuya mabouya)
- P. minasense plicae - olive tree runner lizard (Plica umbra)
- P. minasense tegui - blue tengu lizard (Tupinambis teguixin)
- P. pelaezi - the iguanid lizard (Urosaurus bicarinatus bicarinatus)
- P. pessoai - snakes (Spilotes pullatus and Lachesis muta)
- P. pifanoi - the green ameiva lizard (Ameiva ameiva) and a teiid lizard (Kentropyx calcarata)
- P. pitmani - African skink (Mabuya species)
- P. rhadinurum - Iguana iguana iguana
- P. robinsoni - the Parson's Chameleon (Chamaelo parsoni crucifer)
- P. sasai - Japanese lacertids (Takydromus tachydromoides and Takydromus smaragdinus)
- P. saurocaudatum - the many-lined sun skink (Mabuya multifasciata)
- P. scorzai - the gecko Phyllodactylus ventralis
- P. siamense - lizards.[5]
- P. tanzaniae - chameleons
- P. tomodoni - snakes
- P. torrealbai - Anolis lizards
- P. tribolonoti - skinks (Tribolonotus gracilis)
- P. tropiduri - iguanid lizard (Tropidurus torquatus), Anolis lizards (Anolis biporcatus, Anolis cybotes, Anolis frenatus, Anolis limifrons, Anolis lionotus, Anolis pentaprion and Anolis poecilopus), teiid lizard (Kentropyx calcarata)
- P. tropiduri aquaticum - Anolis lizards (Anolis lionotus and Anolis poecilopus)
- P. tropiduri panamense - Anolis lizard (Anolis biporcatus)
- P. tropiduri tropiduri - Tropidurus hispidus
- P. robinsoni - the red-headed rock agama lizard (Agama agama)
- P. uluguruense - African gecko (Hemidactylus platycephalus)
- P. uzungwiense - chameleons
- P. vacuolatum - the rainforest lizard (Plica umbra)
- P. vastator - the flying lizard (Draco volans)
- P. volans - the flying lizard (Draco volans)
- P. wenyoni - snakes
Subspecies
- P. fairchildi - P. fairchildi fairchildi and P. fairchildi hispaniolae
- P. lygosomae - P. lygosomae nucleoversans and P. lygosomae nucleoversans
- P. minasense - P. minasense anolisi, P. minasense capitoi, P. minasense carinii,
- P. minasense diminutivum, P. minasense minasense, P. minasense plicae, and P. minasense tegui.[6] An additional subspecies P. minasense calcaratae has also been described.[7]
- P. traguli - P. traguli traguli and P. traguli memmina.
- P. tropiduri - P. tropiduri aquaticum, P. tropiduri panamense and P. tropiduri tropiduri.[8]
Vectors
Compared with those known for the species infecting humans, few vectors are known for these species.
- P. agamae - Lutzomyia or Culicoides species
- Culex fatigans - P. rhadinurum
- Aedes aegypti - P. rhadinurum
- P. floridense is closely related to P. tropiduri and P. minasense
References
- ^ Schall J.J. (2000) Transmission success of the malaria parasite Plasmodium mexicanum into its vector: role of gametocyte density and sex ratio. Parasitol. 121 (6):575-580
- ^ Perkins S.L., Austin C. (2008) Four new species of Plasmodium from New Guinea lizards: Integrating morphology and molecules. J. Parasitol.
- ^ Southgate B.A. (1970) Plasmodium (Sauramoeba) giganteum in Agama cyanogaster: a new host record. Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 64(1):12-13
- ^ Garnham P.C., Telford S.R. Jr. (1984) A new malaria parasite Plasmodium (Sauramoeba) heischi in skinks (Mabuya striata) from Nairobi, with a brief discussion of the distribution of malaria parasites in the family Scincidae. J Protozool. 31(4):518-521.
- ^ Telford S.R. (1986) Fallisia parasites (Haemosporidia: Plasmodiidae) from the flying lizard, Draco maculatus (Agamidae) in Thailand. J. Parasitol. 72(5):766-769
- ^ Telford S.R. Jr. (1979) A taxonomic revision of small neotropical saurian Malarias allied to Plasmodium minasense. Ann. Parasitol. Hum. Comp. 54(4):409-422
- ^ Telford S.R. Jr., Telford S.R. 3rd. (2003) Rediscovery and redescription of Plasmodium pifanoi and description of two additional Plasmodium parasites of Venezuelan lizards. J. Parasitol. 89(2):362-368
- ^ Telford S.R. Jr. (1979) A taxonomic reconsideration of some Plasmodium species from iguanid lizards. Ann. Parasitol. Hum. Comp. 54(2):129-144