Species of Plasmodium of passerine birds with four nuclei, with description of new species

Abstract

We describe and discuss species of Plasmodium with four nuclei arranged in doublets or forming a maltese cross and loose, residual cytoplasm, described from Passer hispaniolensis in Algeria. The following species are described: Plasmodium rouxi from Alauda arvensis, from France Plasmodium mohammedi sp. nov. from Passer domesticus biblicus and Plasmodium pachysomum sp. nov. from Anthus campestris, from Israel, Plasmodium pfefferi sp. nov. from Pica pica and Plasmodium sergentorum sp. nov. from Alauda arvensis and Pica pica from France and Plasmodium stellatum sp. nov. from Muscicapa striata from Israel. All species vary in the spatial position of their four nuclei and the presence or absence of refractile, blue-staining globules. All of the described species differ from P. vaughani Novy et Mac Neal, 1904 and its siblings (example: P. vaughani merulae Corradetti et Scanga, 1973) in their number of merozoites (always four versus four to eight in the latter) and their spatial arrangement in the schizont.

Keys to the avian malaria parasites

“…Molecular characterization is best developed for Novyella parasites (molecular markers are available for 59% of described species of this subgenus), and is weakest for Giovannolaia parasites (only two species or 12.5% of this subgenus have been characterized molecularly). Lack of molecular markers for many described malaria pathogens [ 51 , 53 , 54 , 56 , 57 , 59 , 65 ] precludes biodiversity research on Plasmodium species and recognition of new malaria pathogens, for whose detection, detailed comparison with already described and genetically characterized parasites is needed. The development of molecular markers for diagnosis of disease agents is an important task of current avian malariology (Table 7 ).…”

“…Re-description is needed, and it is possible due to available sequence information. The most similar cytb sequence belong to P. gallinaceum, P. relictum and P. circumflexum e Descriptions of P. pachysomum, P. pfefferi, P. sergentorum, P. stellatum [ 54 ] are incomplete. Information about morphology of gametocytes is absent.…”

“…Molecular characterization is unavailable. Species identification is questionable based on the available information f Paperna et al [ 54 ] published re-description of P. rouxi from non-type avian host ( Alauda arvensis , Alaudidae instead of Passer hispaniolensis , Passeridae whose is the type host). The re-description is based on samples, which were collected beyond of the type locality (France, instead of Algeria which is the type locality).…”

Avian Haemosporidian blood parasite infections at a migration hotspot in Eilat, Israel

“…All birds were ringed with the standard aluminium ring; sex and age, morphometric data and weights were recorded. Blood samples were collected from the brachial veins of birds using heparinised haematocrit capillaries (see Paperna et al 2007Paperna et al , 2008Paperna & Yosef 2010). Two samples were taken from each bird, then each sample was smeared onto a clean glass slide.…”

Ultrastructure of erythrocytic stages of avianPlasmodiumspp. of the sub-genusNovyellaand its “globule”

“…the presence of the globule has been reported in many descriptions of Plasmodium (Novyella) spp. (Manwell, 1935;Mohammed, 1958;Corradetti & Scanga, 1972;valkiūnas 2005;Paperna et al, 2008;Paperna et al, submitted). It remains unchanged throughout the development of the parasite and as a residue when the schizont matures.…”