Plasmodium megaglobularis explained

Plasmodium megaglobularis is a species of malaria-causing parasite in the genus Plasmodium, subgenus Novyella. As in all Plasmodium species, P. megaglobularis has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are birds.

Taxonomy

The parasite was first described by Valkiūnas et al. in 2008.^[1]

Distribution

This parasite is found in Ghana and Cameroon.

Hosts

P. megaglobularis infects the olive sunbird (Cyanomitra olivacea).

Notes and References

Valkiūnas G, Iezhova TA, Loiseau C, Chasar A, Smith TB, Sehgal RN . New species of haemosporidian parasites (Haemosporida) from African rainforest birds, with remarks on their classification. . Parasitol Res . 2008 . 103 . 5 . 1213–28 . 18668264 . 10.1007/s00436-008-1118-x . 24220225 .