haemogregarina haemogregarina haemogregarina is a genus of haemoprotozoans, parasitic mainly on cold-blooded vertebrates. they are unicellular organisms which are parasitic in the red blood cells. haemogregarina infects lower vertebrates (fish and reptiles) as intermediate hosts and leeches (as definitive hosts). haemogregarina scientific classification domain: eukaryota clade: diaphoretickes clade: sar clade: alveolata phylum: apicomplexa class: conoidasida order: eucoccidiorida suborder: adeleorina family: haemogregarinidae genus: haemogregarinadanilewsky, 1885 history it was described in 1885 by danilewsky from the european pond turtle (emys orbicularis). general description these parasites are generally considered non-pathogenic, and have been described in the red blood cells of desert tortoises. they are elongate to fusiform oval organisms found in the red blood cells. although the size varies, they are larger than the cell's nucleus. the organism stains a basophilic colour and has a surrounding clear zone. species the following species are recognised: haemogregarina acanthoclini laird, 1953 haemogregarina anarhichadis henry, 1912 haemogregarina balistapi haemogregarina bettencourti frança, 1908 haemogregarina bigemina laveran & mesnil, 1901 haemogregarina blanchardi brumpt & lebailly, 1904 haemogregarina bothi lebailly, 1905 haemogregarina carchariasi laveran, 1908 haemogregarina clavata neumann, 1909 haemogregarina coelorhynchi laird, 1952 haemogregarina cotti brumpt & lebailly, 1904 haemogregarina curvata hayes, smit, seddon, wertheim & davies, 2006 haemogregarina dakarensis léger & leger, 1920 haemogregarina dasyatis saunders, 1958 haemogregarina delagei laveran & mesnil, 1901 haemogregarina gobii brumpt & lebailly, 1904 haemogregarina gobionis franchini & saini, 1923 haemogregarina hartochi kohl-yakimoff & yakimoff, 1915 haemogregarina hemiscyllii mackerras & mackerras, 1961 haemogregarina heterodontii von prowazek, 1910 haemogregarina hoplichthys laird, 1952 haemogregarina johnstoni davis & merrett, 2000 haemogregarina koppiensis smit & davies, 2001 haemogregarina laternae lebailly, 1904 haemogregarina leptocotti hill & hendrickson, 1991 haemogregarina leptoscopi laird, 1952 haemogregarina lobiani yakimov & kohl-yakimov, 1912 emend levine, 1985 haemogregarina londoni yakimov & kohl-yakimov, 1912 haemogregarina marzinowskii yakimov & kohl-yakimov, 1912 haemogregarina mavori laird & bullock, 1969 haemogregarina minuta neumann, 1909 haemogregarina myoxocephali fantham, porter & richardson, 1942 haemogregarina parmae mackerras & mackerras, 1925 haemogregarina platessae lebailly, 1904 haemogregarina polypartita neumann, 1909 haemogregarina quadrigemina brumpt & lebailly, 1904 haemogregarina roelofsi hill & hendrickson, 1991 haemogregarina rubrimarensis saunders, 1960 haemogregarina sachai kirmse, 1978 haemogregarina salariasi laird, 1951 haemogregarina scorpaenae neumann, 1909 haemogregarina simondi laveran & mesnil, 1901 haemogregarina tetraodontis mackerras & mackerras, 1961 haemogregarina torpedinis neumann, 1909 haemogregarina wladimirovi yakimov & kohl-yakimov, 1912 haemogregarina yakimovikohli wladimiroff, 1910 emend levine, 1985