Abstract
Purpose
To date, two haemogregarines have been described from the white-spotted wall gecko,
Tarentola annularis
in Egypt. These species are
Haemogregarina annularis
and
Haemogregarina tarentannulari
. Although these two species initially were described as different species parasitizing
T. annularis
, both forms look identical due to their similar morphology and morphometric characteristics from the same host species. Here we will clarify, using traditional morphological description of the blood and tissue stages, combined with molecular analysis, the identity of the haemoparasites infecting
T. annularis
in Egypt.
Methods
Thin blood smears were screened from 50 gecko,
Tarentola annularis
and merognic stages were identified in the lung of the infected geckos. Parasite DNA was extracted and PCR was carried out to amplify parasite 18S rDNA.
Results
Morphological criteria of parasite stages, mature gamont stages and mergonic stages were similar to the two previously reported
Haemogregarina
species. In the phylogenetic tree, the present haemogregarine fell within a clade comprising most of
Hepatozoon
species infecting reptiles.
Conclusion
Our morphological comparison supported that the two previously described
Haemogregarina
species were the same and allowed us to consider
Haemogregarina tarentannulari
as a junior synonym of
Haemogregarina annularis
. Our phylogenetic analysis gave us the opportunity to reassign
Haemogregarina annularis
to the genus
Hepatozoon
and being identified as
Hepatozoon annularis
n. comb.