Gregarinicae is a superfamily 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 mitochond ...

of the phylum

Apicomplexia 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. ...

Taxonomy

There are seven families in this taxon.

History

This superfamily was created by Chakaravarty in 1960.Chakravarty MM (1960) Systematic position of some genera and classification of the suborder Cephalina Delage and Hérouard. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of Calcutta 12:71–81

Description

Species in superfamily infect only a single host during their life cycle. Species in this genus associate with one another prior to syzygy.

Differential diagnosis

This superfamily is distinguished from Porosporidae by having a monogenic (one host) life cycle. In this family

sporogony 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 ...

is completed in the gametocyst. The species in this superfamily are distinguished from Stenophoricae, members of which remain solitary until mature. These latter species typically forming associations only at the onset of syzygy.

References

Conoidasida SAR supergroup superfamilies {{Apicomplexa-stub