Developmental stages and molecular phylogeny of Hepatozoon tuatarae, a parasite infecting the New Zealand tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus and the tick, Amblyomma sphenodonti.
The developmental stages of Hepatozoon tuatarae were elucidated in both the tuatara host, Sphenodon punctatus and the tick, Amblyomma sphenodonti. PCR amplicons from A. sphenodonti samples identified DNA matching H. tuatarae. Dissection of tick samples showed oogenesis and sporogony occurring in the haemocoel of A. sphenodonti with the average mature oocyst size being 236 x 228 microm. Partial sequence data of the parasite's small subunit ribosomal gene, obtained by PCR, was used for phylogenetic comparison. Characterisation of the H. tuatarae lifecycle will help in conservation management of the tuatara.
Herbert
James D K
JD
School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide 5001, Australia.
Godfrey
Stephanie S
SS
Bull
C Michael
CM
Menz
R Ian
RI
D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016783:Eucoccidiida / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D008116:Lizards / Q000469:parasitology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics
D015800:Protozoan Proteins