Caryospora (alveolate)

Caryospora is a genus of parasitic protozoa in the phylum Apicomplexa. The species in this genus infect birds and reptiles with the majority of described species infecting snakes. It is the third largest genus in the family Eimeriidae.
Despite the number of species in this genus, it has not been much studied.

History

This genus was created by Leger in 1904. The name was originally Karyospora but this was changed by Leger in 1911.

Taxonomy

Although this genus is usually placed in the family Eimeriidae, it may actually be more closely related to the family Lankesterellidae.
There are at least 70 species in this genus.

Life cycle

This genus is characterised by monosporocystic octozoitic oocysts. Species in this genus infect the digestive tract of reptiles and birds. Some species may also infect small rodents which are normally prey of the reptile or bird species.

Host records

Snakes

C. ahaetullae - Long nosed vine snake, Oriental whipsnake
C. barnardae - Malagasy colubrid
C. bengalensis - Rainbow water snake
C. bigenetica - Timber rattlesnake
C. bothriechis - Guatemalan palm viper
C. brygooi - Madagascar cat eye snake
C. brasiliensis - Nuazo, Brazilian green racer, Culebra, Mboi-obi
C. carajasensis - False coral
C. choctawensis - Flathead snake
C. cobrae - Indian cobra
C. colubris - Dwarf colubrid, Horseshoe snake, Large whip snake, Western whip snake
C. coniophanis - Black striped snake
C. conophae - Road guarder snake
C. constancieae - Amazonian coral snake
C. corallae - Emerald tree boa
C. demansiae - Yellow faced whip snake
C. dendrelaphis - Common tree snake
C. durelli - Round Island boa
C. duszynskii - Corn snake, Red corn snake, Texas rat snake, Black rat snake Prairie kingsnake
C. epicrati - Rainbow boa
C. gracilis - Flat headed snake
C. guatemalensis - Milk snake
C. hermae - Boaedon fuligenosus, Western striped sand snake
C. heterodermus - Variable green snake
C. japonicum - Tiger keelback
C. jararacae - Coffee palm viper, Fer-de-lance, Jararaca
C. kalimantanensis - Mangrove snake
C. lampropeltis - Prairie kingsnake, Eastern kingsnake, Milk snake
C. legeri - Sand snake
C. maculatus - Spotted night adder
C. madagascariensis - Madagascar cat eye snake, Malagasy colubrid
C. masticophis - Eastern racer, Masticophis flagellum
C. matatu - Horned bush viper
C. maxima - Saw scaled viper
C. mayorum - Road guarder snake
C. micruri - Amazonian coral snake
C. minuta - Madagascar hognose snake
C. najae - Red spitting cobra
C. najadae - Dahl's whip snake
C. paraensis - False coral
C. peruensis - Argentine vine snake
C. psammophi - Brown House Snake, Olive sand snake
C. pseustesi - Yellow bellied puffing snake
C. regentensis - Eastern green mamba, Western green mamba
C. relictae - Florida crowned snake
C. saudiarabiensis - African carpet viper
C. serpentis - Madagascar hognose snake, Madagascar cat-eye snake, Madagascar colubrid
C. simplex - Russell's viper, Horned viper, European asp, Common European adder, Kaznakov's viper, Palestine viper, Ottoman viper
C. tantillae - Florida crowned snake
C. telescopis - European cat snake
C. veselyi - Long nosed whip snake
C. weyerae - Brown House Snake, Olive sand snake
C. zacapensis - Neotropical whip snake

Birds

C. aquilae - Golden eagle
C. arcayae - Roadside hawk, Broad winged hawk
C. argentati - European herring gull
C. biarmicusis - Lanner falcon
C. bubonis - Great horned owl
C. circi - Western marsh harrier
C. falconis - Peregrine falcon, Eurasian hobby, European kestrel
C. gloriae - Cuban blackbird
C. jiroveci - European robin
C. kansasensis - Swainson's hawk
C. kutzeri - Lanner falcon, Saker falcon, Laggar falcon, Prairie falcon, Peregrine falcon, Gyrfalcon, Eurasian hobby, European kestrel
C. lindsayi - Red tailed hawk
C. neofalconis - Lanner falcon, Falco mexicanus, Peregrine falcon, Eurasian hobby, European kestrel
C. strigis - Barn owl
C. tremula - Turkey vulture
C. undata - Tufted puffins, European herring gull, Common murre
C. uptoni - Red tailed hawk

Other species

C. cheloniae - Green sea turtle
C. gekkonis - Tokay gecko
C. ernsti - Carolina anole
C. varaniornati - Ornate monitor