Plasmodium polare

Plasmodium polare
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Protista
Phylum:	Apicomplexa
Class:	Aconoidasida
Order:	Haemosporida
Family:	Plasmodiidae
Genus:	Plasmodium
Subgenus:	Papernaia
Species:	P. polare
Binomial name
	Plasmodium polare;

Plasmodium polare is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Papernaia.

Like all Plasmodium species P. polare has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are birds.

Description[]

The parasite was first described by Manwell in 1934.^[1]

It is relatively small and produces on the average nine merozoites per infection. It has abundant cytoplasm.

Geographical occurrence[]

This parasite occurs in the United States.

Clinical features and host pathology[]

Hosts of this species include the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus),^[2] the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), yellow wagtails (Motacilla flava)^[3] and American cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota).

Related species[]

It is related to the following species:

Plasmodium circumflexum
Plasmodium durae
Plasmodium fallax

Plasmodium gabaldoni
Plasmodium hegneri

Plasmodium pinotti

References[]

^ Manwell (1934) The Anatomical Record 60(4): 1 - 101
^ Greiner, Ellis; Black, David; Iverson, Wiliam (October 4, 1981). "Plasmodium in a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in Florida". Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 17 (4): 555–558. doi:10.7589/0090-3558-17.4.555. PMID 7338979. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
^ Valkiunas G, Iezhova TA. (2001) A comparison of the blood parasites in three subspecies of the yellow wagtail Motacilla flava. J. Parasitol. 87(4):930-934.