A review of trypanosomes of gekkonid lizards, including the description of five new species (original) (raw)

Abstract

Four species of_Trypanosoma_ were found in geckoes in Tanzania:T. lygodactyli n. sp. parasitised_Lygodactylus luteopicturatus, L. grotei_ and_Hemidactylus platycephalus_;T. cnemaspi n. sp. was found in_Cnemaspis barbouri_ and_H. platycephalus; T. uluguruensis_ n. sp. was found in_H. platycephalus, L. luteopicturatus, L. grotei_ and_Lygodactylus williamsi_; and_T. kimbozae_ n. sp. parasitized_H. platycephalus. Gekko gecko_ in Thailand was host to_T. gekkonis_ n. sp. Evaluation of commonly used taxonomic characters found body length, maximum width and the distance between kinetoplast and anterior body margin to be least variable; most variable were length of the free flagellum, distance between kinetoplast and posterior body margin, and distance between kinetoplast and centre of the nucleus. The distance from anterior body margin to centre of the nucleus, and length and width of the nucleus, were slightly more variable than the most conservative characters but were nevertheless useful. A review of the described_Trypanosoma_ species from gekkonid lizards indicates that the following are valid species, although in many cases their descriptions are inadequate:T. garnhami, T. gallayi, T. platydactyli, T. pertenue, T. leschenaulti, T. petteri, T. phlebotomi, T. turcici, T. phylluri, T. ryukyuense, T. thecadactyli, T. torrealbai, T. gonatodi and_T. ocumarensis_. The status of_T. hemidactyli_ is unclear, and the identification of_T. loricatum_ from_Hemidactylus fasciatus_ of The Gambia is unlikely.

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  1. The Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, 32611, Gainesville, FL, USA
    Sam R. Telford Jr

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Telford, S.R. A review of trypanosomes of gekkonid lizards, including the description of five new species.Syst Parasitol 31, 37–52 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00009301

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