Paleoleishmania proterus n. gen., n. sp., (Trypanosomatidae: Kinetoplastida) from Cretaceous Burmese amber.
A trypanosomatid (Trypanosomatidae: Kinetoplastida) associated with a blood-filled female sand fly in Cretaceous Burmese amber, is described in the new genus and species, Paleoleishmania proterus. The genus Paleoleishmania is established as a collective genus for digenetic fossil trypanosomes associated with sand flies. Amastigotes, promastigotes and paramastigotes are described. Paleoleishmania proterus is the first fossil kinetoplastid and provides a minimum age for the digenetic Trypanosomatidae. Its discovery indicates that vector-borne pathogens had been established by the Early Cretaceous.
Poinar
George
G
Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA. poinarg@science.oregonstate.edu
Poinar
Roberta
R
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005580:Fossils; D002052:Myanmar; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology; D014351:Trypanosomatina / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure