Theileria gilberti n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Theileriidae) in the Gilbert's potoroo (Potorous gilbertii).
The morphology and genetic characterisation of a new species of piroplasm identified in the blood of the Gilbert's potoroo (Potorous gilbertii) from the Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve near Albany, Western Australia, is described from blood and tissue samples from 16 Gilbert's potoroos. Microscopy of blood showed these parasites are highly pleomorphic with a mean length of 1.8 mum and mean width of 0.85 mum. Phylogenetic analysis of 18S rRNA sequence data identified the piroplasm as a new species of Theileria that is closely related to other Australian marsupial piroplasm species. Based on biological and molecular data, it is proposed that the parasite from Gilbert's potoroo be given the name Theileria gilberti n. sp.
Lee
Jeremy Y
JY
Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia.
Ryan
Una M
UM
Jefferies
Ryan
R
McInnes
Linda M
LM
Forshaw
David
D
Friend
J Anthony
JA
Irwin
Peter J
PJ
D000818:Animals; D001769:Blood / Q000469:parasitology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D048328:Potoroidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016794:Theileria / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014904:Western Australia
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S