title: Molecular characterization of Hepatozoon species in reptiles from the Seychelles.
abstract: Hepatozoon parasites were examined for the first time in reptiles from the Seychelles Islands. Although both prevalence and intensity were low, Hepatozoon species were detected in individuals from 2 endemic species, the lizard Mabuya wrightii and the snake Lycognathophis seychellensis. This was confirmed using visual identification and through sequencing part of the 18s rRNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the Hepatozoon on the Seychelles form a monophyletic lineage, although more data are clearly needed to stabilize estimates of relationships based on this marker.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal. james@mail.icav.up.pt
authors.forename: D James
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: João P M C
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017812:Colubridae / Q000469:parasitology*; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D016783:Eucoccidiida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008116:Lizards / Q000469:parasitology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary; D012750:Seychelles
chemical_list: D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S