Plasmodium unalis

P. unalis have a single large circular shaped pigment granule in the erythrocytic trophozoites and meronts, a vacuole and a clear globule in trophozoites and growing meronts. Merozoites are predominant fan-like arranged, and meronts usually have in average five merozoites. Gametocytes are elongated.

Plasmodium lutzi

Gametocytes rounded or oval with pigment granules which rend to cluster and locate to the margin of the parasite, this feature is also observed in meronts. The number of merozoites in mature meronts vary between 6 to 26, but most near to 15. Gametocytes and meronts displace the host cell nucleus and can enucleate it.

Plasmodium vaughani

The number of merozoites in mature erythrocytic meronts is frequently four to six, but varies between four and eight, trofozoites usually present two granules of emozoin, P. vaughani is similar to P. hexamerium and P. unalis, but could be distinguished of these two species because P. hexamerium show a relatively stable (usually six) number of merozoits in mature meronts, and P. unalis posses only one big pigment granule in trophozoites and meronts.*

Plasmodium nucleophilum

As the specific epithet implies, gametocytes and erythrocytic meronts tend to adhere to the nucleus of the host cell. Meronts have 4-9 (max 12) merozoite and displace the host cell nucleus. In the other hand mature gametocytes are small with 7.4-12 µm in length and 1-2.8 µm in width, they do not displace the erythrocyte nucleus.

Plasmodium homopolare

Trophozoites and meronts are located strictly in polar position within erythrocytes. Trophozoites are amoeboid, form a long outgrowth, have two-three pigment granules plus and globule. Meronts produces maximum 8 merozoites and can displace slightly the erythrocyte nucleus. Gametocytes are elongated and lateral to the host cell nucleus.

Plasmodium kempi-like

Plasmodium kentropyxi

Gametocytes and meronts were found infecting both mature and immature erythrocytes, the meronts contain between 12–50 merozoites and the gametocytes were elongated as a band with rounded ends the pigment granules were small and scattered located in the cytoplasm. The host cell nucleus was displaced towards the periphery and a notorious hypertrophy was observed.

Plasmodium carmelinoi

Trophozoites have a cytoplasm which adopts teardrop shape and oval or amoeboid when they grow. Meronts mainly roundish and contain 6–10 small merozoites without adhering to the erythrocyte nucleus, classifying this species in the subgenus Carinamoeba. Meronts have a large vacuole, which pushes the merozoites towards the periphery, giving a diadem appearance and gametocytes were observed in low frequency, limiting their characterization.

Plasmodium rouxi

Mature meronts form maximum four merozoites, when they are in binuclear stage take a form of bow-tie. Gametocytes are mainly vacuole-less, elongated, lateral and thin (max 3 µm wide), they do not displace the nucleus of erythrocytes.

Plasmodium relictum

Trophozoites deform the erythrocyte and displace its nucleus. Meronts typically have between 10 and 24 merozoites. Gametocytes are roundish and displace the host cell nucleus, contain round or oval pigment granules randomly located in the cytoplasm. Although meronts and gametocytes occupy more than 50% of the cytoplasm of erythrocytes, they do not occupy all the available space.

Leucocytozoon neotropicalis

Gametocytes are oval and deforms the host cell forming two cytoplasmatic projection bandlike without thickenings on the tips. Host cell nuclei is deformed like a homogeneous band of variable width that extends close to half of the circumference without extending into the cytoplasmic projection.

Leucocytozoon grallariae

Gametocytes induced marked hypertrophy and deformation of the host cells and displacement of their nuclei, which lay on the periphery of gametocytes but does not extend more than a half of parasite perimeter. Host cell – parasite complex is fusiform with short, thick and triangular projections.

Leucocytozoon quynzae

Roundish host cell parasite complex with numerous volutin granules, the nucleus of the host cell takes a comma-like shape, this is a unique character, make this parasite species easily distinguishable from all previously described species.

Leucocytozoon pterotenuis

Gametocytes are oval and deforms the host cell forming two cytoplasmatic projection bandlike without thickenings on the tips. Host cell nuclei cover between 30 and 55 % of the circumference of the gametocytes, possesses markedly narrowed ends and extends into the cytoplasmic projection.

Leucocytozoon majoris

Gametocytes and host-cell parasite complex are rounded or oval. Cytoplasm has vacuoles and valutin granules; the shape and position of the parasite nucleus varies; host cell nucleus is displaced, deformed, and peripherally located as a band of even width that extend more than a half of parasite perimeter. Host cell cytoplasm is usually present around the gametocytes as slightly visible, pale, variably shaped margin.

Leucocytozoon dubreuili

The gametocytes are usually rounded, developed in rounded host cells; small vacuoles and valutin granules are present in the cytoplasm; the position and shape of the parasite nucleus varies; the host cell nucleus is more or less bell-shaped in outline, thickened at the ends; the host cell cytoplasm is usually present around the gametocytes as a fairly visible, pale margin of variable shape.

Leucocytozoon fringillinarum

Gametocytes and host-cell parasite complex are rounded or oval. Cytoplasm has vacuoles and valutin granules; the shape and position of the parasite nucleus varies; host cell nucleus is displaced, deformed, and peripherally located as a band that does not extend more than a half of parasite perimeter. Host cell cytoplasm is usually present around the gametocytes as slightly visible, pale, variably shaped margin.

Haemoproteus macrovacuolatus

Parasite infecting ducks, gametocytes encircle slightly with their tip the host cell nucleus and displace it. Their main feature is a huge vacuole (>2.5µm in diameter).

Haemoproteus erythrogravidus

Gametocytes touch the envelope and nucleus of erythrocytes. Most gametocytes form a marked protrusion of cytoplasm of infected erythrocytes in the zone not filled by the parasite. Growing dumbbellshaped gametocytes present extremely attenuated width at the central part.

Haemoproteus witti

Is a Haemoproteidae species which usually infect Apodiformes, the gametocytes grow appressed to the nucleus of the infected erythrocyte, displacing it notoriously, the grown gametocyte slightly enclose the nucleus of the host cell without encircle completely. Average of 25 pigment granules are its distinctive feature.

Haemoproteus vireonis

Growing gametocytes adhere to erythrocyte nucleus and cell membrane, and a space unfilled between the center of parasite and the envelopment can be seen in ten percent of gametocytes. Fully grown gametocytes do not encircle the nucleus of erythrocytes with their tips; neither displace it. Average number of pigment granules is 12, and they are small and medium in similar proportions.

Haemoproteus coatneyi

Fully grown gametocytes attached to the nucleus and envelope of erythrocytes, pigment granules of of medium size 0.5-1 µm predominate. Growing dumbbell-shaped gametocytes represent more than 10% of the total number of this kind of gametocytes.

Haemoproteus columbae

Haemoproteus caprimulgi

In growing gametocytes, a cleft is present between the erythrocyte nucleus and the parasite. Fully grown gametocytes usually enclose the nucleus of the erythrocytes with their tips but not encircle it complete. Parasite displaces slighlty the erythrocyte nucleus and the average number of pigment granules is 20.

Haemoproteus trochili

When gametocytes are immature, they are usually lateral to the erythrocyte nucleus, but fully grown gametocytes slightly enclose it with their poles, but without displacing the nucleus. Parasites are always in contact with the erythrocyte nucleus and cellular membrane. Gametocytes have about ten or eleven pigment granules.