Huffia is a subgenus of the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

Plasmodium ''Plasmodium'' is a genus of unicellular eukaryotes that are obligate parasites of vertebrates and insects. The life cycles of ''Plasmodium'' species involve development in a blood-feeding insect host which then injects parasites into a vert ...

'' - all of which are parasites. The subgenus was created in 1963 by Corradetti ''et al.''.

Species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

in this subgenus infect

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

s with malaria. This subgenus is named in honour of the Dr. Clay G. Huff. __TOC__

Description

Species in the subgenus ''Huffia'' have the following characteristics: * Mature schizonts, while varying in shape and size, contain plentiful cytoplasm and are commonly found in immature erthryocytes. * Gametocytes are elongated. ''P. huffi'' had been considered 'lost' since it hadn't been observed since its discovery in the 1950s, however it was re-discovered in toucans in 2021.

References

Plasmodium subgenera Parasites of birds {{Plasmodium-stub