plasmodium australis plasmodium australis plasmodium australis is a parasite of the genus plasmodium. like all plasmodium species p. australis has both vertebrate and insect hosts. the vertebrate hosts for this parasite are lizards. plasmodium australis scientific classification kingdom: protista phylum: apicomplexa class: aconoidasida order: haemosporida family: plasmodiidae genus: plasmodium species: p. australis binomial name plasmodium australis description the parasite was first described by mackerras in 1961 and was designated as plasmodium giganteum. it was redescribed in 1988 by telford who recognised it as a separate species. geographical occurrence this species is found in australia.