title: Theileria gilberti n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Theileriidae) in the Gilbert's potoroo (Potorous gilbertii).
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Jeremy Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Una M
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jefferies
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: McInnes
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Forshaw
authors.forename: J Anthony
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Friend
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Irwin
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S