''Dorisiella'' is a genus of parasitic

alveolates The alveolates (meaning "pitted like a honeycomb") are a group of protists, considered a major clade and superphylum within Eukarya. They are currently grouped with the stramenopiles and Rhizaria among the protists with tubulocristate mitochondr ...

belonging to the

phylum In biology, a phylum (; plural: phyla) is a level of classification or taxonomic rank below kingdom and above class. Traditionally, in botany the term division has been used instead of phylum, although the International Code of Nomenclature f ...

Apicomplexa The Apicomplexa (also called Apicomplexia) are a large phylum of parasitic alveolates. Most of them possess a unique form of organelle that comprises a type of non-photosynthetic plastid called an apicoplast, and an apical complex structure. T ...

. This genus was created in 1930 by Ray.Ray HN (1930) Studies on some sporozoa in polychaete worms. II. ''Dorisiella scolelepidis'', n. gen., n. sp. Parasitology 22: 471-480

Taxonomy

Currently there is only one species recognised in this genus.

Life cycle

This species infects the gastrointestinal tract of

polychaete Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class (biology), class of generally marine invertebrate, marine annelid worms, common name, commonly called bristle worms or polychaetes (). Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia that ...

worms. It is not known if it has any other host. The parasite infects the cells of the gut wall. The oocysts have thin membrane like walls. Each sporocyst gives rise to 8

sporozoite Apicomplexans, a group of intracellular parasites, have life cycle stages that allow them to survive the wide variety of environments they are exposed to during their complex life cycle. Each stage in the life cycle of an apicomplexan organism i ...

Host records

'' Malacoceros fuliginosus''. This worm of the family ''

Spionidae Spionidae is a family of marine worms within the Polychaeta. Spionids are selective deposit feeders that use their two grooved palps Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi) are the second pair of appendages of chelicerates – a grou ...

'' was previously known as ''Scolelepis fuliginosa''. This name is now recognised as a junior synonym.

References

Apicomplexa genera Monotypic eukaryote genera {{Apicomplexa-stub