plasmodium lionatum plasmodium lionatum plasmodium lionatum is a species of apicomplexan parasite in the family plasmodiidae. like all plasmodium species p. lionatum has both vertebrate and insect hosts. the vertebrate hosts for this parasite are lizards. plasmodium lionatum scientific classification domain: eukaryota clade: diaphoretickes clade: tsar clade: sar clade: alveolata phylum: apicomplexa class: aconoidasida order: haemospororida family: plasmodiidae genus: plasmodium species: p. lionatum binomial name plasmodium lionatumtelford, 1982 description the parasite was first described by telford in 1982. distribution this species is found in thailand. hosts the only known host is the flying gecko (ptychozoon lionatum).