Further parasites of the family Garniidae (Coccidiida: Haemosporidiidea) in Brazilian lizards. Fallisia effusa gen.nov., sp.nov. and Fallisia modesta gen.nov., sp.nov

Abstract

Fallisia effusa gen.nov., sp.nov. (Haemosporidiidea: Garniidae) is described in the teiid lizard, Neusticurus bicarinatus, from Pará State, north Brazil. Schizogony and gametogony both take place within thrombocytes and white cells of the peripheral blood. There is no development in the red blood cells, by which character the organism is differentiated from Garnia, the other known genus within the family. Another species, Fallisia modesta gen.nov., sp.nov., is described in the iguanid lizard, Tropidurus torquatus hispidus, also from Pará, Brazil. It is distinguished from F. effusa by its development principally in the lymphocytes, as opposed to the thrombocytes. There are other, striking morphological differences between the two species. It is recommended that great care is needed in the interpretation of so-called ‘exo-erythrocytic stages’ of saurian plasmodia, which may well really belong to members of the Garniidae, in mixed infections.