''Papernaia'' is a subgenus of the genus ''

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 parasitic

protozoa Protozoa (singular: protozoan or protozoon; alternative plural: protozoans) are a group of single-celled eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic, that feed on organic matter such as other microorganisms or organic tissues and debris. Histo ...

. The subgenus was created in 2010 by Landau ''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. __TOC__

Subgenus characteristics

The gametocytes are elongated. The schizonts apically or lateroapically placed and are rounded or irregularly shaped. The host nucleus may be tilted.

History

This subgenus was created on the basis of morphology. It may be subsequently revised when more information becomes available from DNA studies. It was created to deal with the existing problems with the existing subgenera ''

Giovannolaia ''Giovanolaia'' is a subgenus of the genus ''Plasmodium'' created by Corradetti ''et al.'' in 1963. The parasites within this subgenus infect birds. This subgenus was shown on the basis of DNA analysis to be polyphyletic. This is unsurprising � ...

'' and ''

Novyella ''Novyella'' is a subgenus of the genus ''Plasmodium'' - all of which are parasites. The subgenus was created in 1963 by Corradetti ''et al.'' Species in this subgenus infect birds. It unites the avian malaria parasites with small erythrocytic m ...

''. Both genera were originally defined on the basis of morphology but subsequent DNA analysis showed them both to be polyphetic. These subgenera have been revised and several of the species originally placed within those subgenera have now been moved to ''Papernaia''. The name of this subgenus was chosen to honour the malariologist Ilan Paperna.

References

Plasmodium subgenera Parasites of birds {{Plasmodium-stub