plasmodium octamerium plasmodium octamerium plasmodium octamerium is a parasite of the genus plasmodium subgenus giovannolaia. plasmodium octamerium scientific classification domain: eukaryota clade: diaphoretickes clade: tsar clade: sar clade: alveolata phylum: apicomplexa class: aconoidasida order: haemospororida family: plasmodiidae genus: plasmodium species: p. octamerium binomial name plasmodium octameriummanwell, 1968 like all plasmodium species p. octamerium has both vertebrate and insect hosts. the vertebrate hosts for this parasite are birds. taxonomy the parasite was first described by manwell in 1968. distribution this species was described in africa and has also been reported in hong kong. hosts known hosts for this parasite include the pintail whydah bird (vidua macroura) and the greater blue-eared glossy starling (lamprotornis chalybaeus).