Platyproteum Explained

The Platyproteum are a genus of parasitic alveolates in the phylum Apicomplexa. Species in this genus infect marine invertebrates.

Taxonomy

This genus was described in 2009 by Sonja Reuckert and Brian Leander.^[1]

There is one species in this genus - Platyproteum vivax. This species was moved from the genus Selenidium.

It appears to be related to Filipodium phascolosomae.

Description

This parasite is tape like.

Life cycle

The parasite infects the gastrointestinal tract and is presumably transmitted by the orofaecal route but the details of this mechanism are presently unknown.

Notes and References

1. 10.1111/j.1550-7408.2009.00422.x. 19737195. Molecular Phylogeny and Surface Morphology of Marine Archigregarines (Apicomplexa),Selenidiumspp.,Filipodium phascolosomaen. Sp., and Platyproteumn. G. And comb. From North-Eastern Pacific Peanut Worms (Sipuncula). 2009. Rueckert . S. . Leander . B. S. . Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. 56. 5. 428–39.