Over 90 species and subspecies of Plasmodium infect lizards. They have been reported from over 3200 species of lizard but only 29 species of snake. Three species - P. pessoai, P. tomodoni and P. wenyoni - infect snakes. These species belong to the subgenera Asiamoeba, Carinamoeba, Fallisia, Garnia, Lacertamoeba, Ophidiella, Paraplasmodium and Sauramoeba.[1] Additional species continue to be described.[2]
P. fairchildi - P. fairchildi fairchildi and P. fairchildi hispaniolae
P. lygosomae - P. lygosomae nucleoversans and P. lygosomae nucleoversans
P. minasense - P. minasense anolisi, P. minasense capitoi, P. minasense carinii,
P. minasense diminutivum, P. minasense minasense, P. minasense plicae, and P. minasense tegui.[6] An additional subspecies P. minasense calcaratae has also been described.[7]
P. traguli - P. traguli traguli and P. traguli memmina.
P. tropiduri - P. tropiduri aquaticum, P. tropiduri panamense and P. tropiduri tropiduri.[8]
Vectors
Compared with those known for the species infecting humans, few vectors are known for these species.
P. floridense is closely related to P. tropiduri and P. minasense
References
^Schall J.J. (2000) Transmission success of the malaria parasite Plasmodium mexicanum into its vector: role of gametocyte density and sex ratio. Parasitol. 121 (6):575-580
^Perkins S.L., Austin C. (2008) Four new species of Plasmodium from New Guinea lizards: Integrating morphology and molecules. J. Parasitol.
^Southgate B.A. (1970) Plasmodium (Sauramoeba) giganteum in Agama cyanogaster: a new host record. Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 64(1):12-13
^Garnham P.C., Telford S.R. Jr. (1984) A new malaria parasite Plasmodium (Sauramoeba) heischi in skinks (Mabuya striata) from Nairobi, with a brief discussion of the distribution of malaria parasites in the family Scincidae. J Protozool. 31(4):518-521.
^Telford S.R. (1986) Fallisia parasites (Haemosporidia: Plasmodiidae) from the flying lizard, Draco maculatus (Agamidae) in Thailand. J. Parasitol. 72(5):766-769
^Telford S.R. Jr. (1979) A taxonomic revision of small neotropical saurian Malarias allied to Plasmodium minasense. Ann. Parasitol. Hum. Comp. 54(4):409-422
^Telford S.R. Jr., Telford S.R. 3rd. (2003) Rediscovery and redescription of Plasmodium pifanoi and description of two additional Plasmodium parasites of Venezuelan lizards. J. Parasitol. 89(2):362-368
^Telford S.R. Jr. (1979) A taxonomic reconsideration of some Plasmodium species from iguanid lizards. Ann. Parasitol. Hum. Comp. 54(2):129-144