plasmodium watteni plasmodium watteni plasmodium watteni is a parasite of the genus plasmodium subgenus vinckeia. as in all plasmodium species, p. watteni has both vertebrate and insect hosts. the vertebrate hosts for this parasite are mammals. plasmodium watteni scientific classification domain: eukaryota clade: diaphoretickes clade: tsar clade: sar clade: alveolata phylum: apicomplexa class: aconoidasida order: haemospororida family: plasmodiidae genus: plasmodium species: p. watteni binomial name plasmodium wattenilien and cross, 1968 taxonomy the parasite was first described by lien and cross in 1968. distribution this species is found in taiwan. vectors not known. hosts the only known host of this species is the formosan giant flying squirrel (petaurista petaurista grandis).