title: A new species of plasmodiidae (Coccidia: Hemosporidia) from the blood of the skink Scincus hemprichii (Scincidae: Reptilia) in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: Fallisia arabica n. sp. was described from peripheral blood smears of the Skink lizard, Scincus hemprichii from Jazan Province in the southwest of Saudi Arabia. Schizogony and gametogony take place within neutrophils in the peripheral blood of the host. Mature schizont is rosette shaped 17.5 ± 4.1 × 17.0 ± 3.9 μm, with a L/W ratio of 1.03(1.02-1.05) μm and produces 24(18-26) merozoites. Young gametocytes are ellipsoidal, 5.5 ± 0.8 × 3.6 ± 0.5 μm, with a L/W of 1.53(1.44-1.61) μm. Mature macrogametocytes are ellipsoidal, 9.7 ± 1.2 × 7.8 ± 1.0 μm, with a L/W of 1.24(1.21-1.34) μm and microgametocytes are ellipsoidal, 7.0 ± 1.1 × 6.8 ± 0.9 μm. with a L/W of 1.03(1.01-1.10) μm. In comparison to the described Fallisia species, this new taxon has rosette schizonts and is larger than F. dominicensis, in Hispaniola, F. bipocrati, F. poecilopi, in Panama, F. thecadactyli in Venezuela, and F. effusa, F. simplex, F. modesta, in Brazil. F. arabica has fewer merozoites than F. effusa, F. poecilopi, F. thecadactyli and F. siamense in Thailand. This new species has more merozoites than F. dominicensis and F. modesta. All of these species belong to diverse saurian families (Agamidae, Gekkonidae, Polychrotidae, Scincidae and Teiidae) parasitize only thrombocytes or lymphocytes and some species parasitize immature erythroid cells and leucocytes.
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mikky A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Amoudi
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohamed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Alyousif
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Muheet A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Saifi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Humanities, Shaqra University, P.O. Box 1040, Ad-Dawadimi 11911, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdullah D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Alanazi
keywords: Coccidia; Fallisia arabica; Plasmodiidae; Saudi Arabia