Perkinsidae Explained

Perkinsidae is a family of alveolates in the phylum Perkinsozoa, a sister group to the dinoflagellates.

Members

It includes Perkinsus species, which are parasitic protozoans, some of which cause disease and mass mortality in wild and farmed molluscs such as oysters.

There are two genera:^[1]

• Parvilucifera, a genus of 3 species^[2]
• Perkinsus, a genus of 7 to 8 species

Characteristics

Perkinsidae possess plastids which do not contain DNA.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Guiry, M. D. & G. M. Guiry. 2013. Perkinsidae. AlgaeBase. National University of Ireland, Galway. Accessed 07 September 2013.
2. Hoppenrath . M. . Leander . B. S. . 2009 . Molecular phylogeny of Parvilucifera prorocentri (Alveolata, Myzozoa): Insights into perkinsid character evolution . Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology . 56 . 3. 251–56 . 10.1111/j.1550-7408.2009.00395.x. 19527352 . 4259528 .
3. Matsuzaki. M. Kuroiwa. H. Kuroiwa. T. Kita. K. Nozaki. H. A cryptic algal group unveiled: a plastid biosynthesis pathway in the oyster parasite Perkinsus marinus.. Molecular Biology and Evolution. June 2008. 25. 6. 1167–79. 18359776. 10.1093/molbev/msn064. free.