Description of a new species of Haemoproteus (Haemosporidia, Apicomplexa) from an Orange-tufted Sunbird Nectarinia osea

Abstract

Haemoproteus osea sp. nov. is described from the blood of Nectarinia osea, sunbird species, endemic to Israel and the Red Sea zone of Arabia. Infection was found only in one out of 44 birds, in Eilat, at the north end of Gulf of Aqaba; level of parasitaemia was 0.07%. Young gametocytes adhere alongside the nucleus. The gametocytes extend alongside the erythrocyte nucleus, filling the entire space to the erythrocyte envelope and only slightly impose over the tip of the erythrocyte nucleus. Mean nuclear displacement ratio is 0.75. H. osea differs from H. sequeirae Tendeiro, 1947 in having the microgametocyte cytoplasm blue staining, similarly to the macrogametocyte, rather than reddish white, and also in causing less evident displacement of the erythrocyte nucleus.

Species limits in avian malaria parasites (Haemosporida): how to move forward in the molecular era

“…Formal descriptions of haemosporidian parasites, with the exception of Plasmodium , are based primarily on limited morphological characters observed in the mature gametocytes preserved on blood smears (e.g. Perkins, 2000; Valkiūnas et al 2009 a , b ; Paperna and Yosef, 2010; reviewed in Valkiūnas, 2005). Indeed, over the history of haemosporidian taxonomy, opinions have differed concerning the utility of formally describing a malaria parasite, particularly when its species status is uncertain.…”

Avian Haemosporidian blood parasite infections at a migration hotspot in Eilat, Israel

“…All birds were ringed with the standard aluminium ring; sex and age, morphometric data and weights were recorded. Blood samples were collected from the brachial veins of birds using heparinised haematocrit capillaries (see Paperna et al 2007Paperna et al , 2008Paperna & Yosef 2010). Two samples were taken from each bird, then each sample was smeared onto a clean glass slide.…”