Plasmodium (Apicomplexa) of the skylark (Alauda arvensis) Author Chavatte, Jean-Marc Author Grès, Virginie Author Snounou, Georges Author Chabaud, Alain Author Landau, Irène Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Parasitologie comparée et modèles expérimentaux, USM 307, case postale 52, 57 rue Cuvier, F- 75231 Paris cedex 05 (France) landau @ mnhn. fr landau@mnhn.fr text Zoosystema 2009 2009-06-30 31 2 369 383 http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.5252/z2009n2a8 journal article 10.5252/z2009n2a8 1638-9387 5391006 Plasmodium reniai Chavatte & Landau , n. sp. ( Fig. 2A ) TYPE MATERIAL . — Holotype : France . Landes , Saint- Julien-en-Born , 44°03’42’’N , 1°13’33’’W , blood smear of A. arvensis number 741U, 25.X.1996 ( MNHN 440 LV PXIII , 64) ( Fig. 3G ). Paratypes : same data as holotype . Blood smears of A. arvensis number 741U, 25.X.1996 ( MNHN P2- XXV, 44-64). ETYMOLOGY. — This species is dedicated to Laurent Rénia. DISTRIBUTION. — Known only from the type locality, Saint-Julien-en-Born, Landes, France . HOST. — Alauda arvensis ( type host). DESCRIPTION The parasite lies in a non-deformed, non-hypertrophied RBC whose nucleus is slightly displaced by the larger parasite forms. The young schizonts have 2 to 6 nuclei, and are crescent-shaped and found at the apex of the RBC, generally attached to its edge. Their cytoplasm is abundant, vacuolated and the nuclei though of irregular shape are clearly distinguished individually. As they develop, the schizonts extend along one of the RBC borders, keeping contact with RBC membrane and separated from its nucleus by a band of erythrocytic cytoplasm. Throughout its development, the schizont retains a curved shape, larger on the top of the RBC and narrower along the host nucleus. The number of nuclei is estimated to be around 30, though no fully mature schizonts could be observed. Gametocytes are elongated and have roughly the same shape and position as the schizonts. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS The closest species is P.golvani Chavatte & Landau, 2007 , parasite of the magpie. This parasite is distinguished from the one in the magpie by its general shape which is thinner and more elongated. Moreover, and in contrast to P. reniai n. sp. , P. golvani shows a long thin protrusion along the RBC nucleus, its young forms have few nuclei and these are arranged in two rows in the mature forms.