Developmental stages and molecular phylogeny of Hepatozoon tuatarae, a parasite infecting the New Zealand tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus and the tick, Amblyomma sphenodonti

作者：Herbert James D K; Godfrey Stephanie S; Bull C Michael; Menz R Ian^*

来源：International Journal for Parasitology, 2010, 40(11): 1311-1315.

DOI：10.1016/j.ijpara.2010.03.018

• Apicomplexa
• Tuatara
• Hepatozoon tuatarae
• 18S rRNA
• Ixodidae
• Life cycle

The developmental stages of Hepatozoon tuatarae were elucidated in both the tuatara host, Sphenodon punctatus and the tick. Amblyomma sphenodonn PCR amplicons from A sphenodonn 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 pm. 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.

• 出版日期2010-9