title: Hemoproteids (Apicomplexa: Haemoproteidae) from South African tortoises (Cryptodira: Testudinidae).
abstract: Terrestrial tortoises, Chersina angulata (Schweigger, 1812), Kinixys belliana belliana Gray, 1831, K. lobatsiana Power, 1927, K. natalensis Hewitt, 1935, and Stigmochelys pardalis (Bell, 1828), both wild (n  =  84) and captive (n  =  70), were examined for hematozoans from the provinces of Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, North West, and Western Cape, South Africa. In Giemsa-stained blood films, 2 species of hemoproteids were identified, 1 previously described, that is, Haemoproteus testudinalis ( Laveran, 1905 ) Wenyon, 1915, the other unknown. Haemoproteus testudinalis occurred in 2/27 wild K. lobatsiana and 1/41 S. pardalis and 2/2 captive K. lobatsiana from the North West and Gauteng, respectively, whereas Haemoproteus sp. A was recorded in 1 of 3 captive K. natalensis from Kwazulu-Natal. Haemoproteus testudinalis had pale blue-stained, often vacuolated, halteridial macrogametocytes, pale pink-stained microhalterdial to halteridial microgametocytes, and dark, scattered, often bacillus-like hemozoin granules. Haemoproteus natalensis n. sp. had ameboid growth stages, blue-stained halteridial to circumnuclear macrogametocytes, purple-stained circumnuclear microgametocytes, and brownish, often clustered, pigment granules. It is recommended that Haemoproteus balazuci Dias, 1953, become a junior synonym of H. testudinalis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016782:Apicomplexa / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014426:Turtles / Q000469:parasitology*