''Plasmodium odocoilei'' is a species of parasites, that causes malaria in white-tailed deer.

Taxonomy

This species was discovered in 1967 in Texas and formally named in 1980. It was rediscovered again in North America in 2016. This species is a member of the subgenus ''

Vinckeia ''Vinckeia'' is a subgenus of the genus ''Plasmodium'' — all of which are parasitic alveolates. The subgenus ''Vinckeia'' was created by Cyril Garnham in 1964 to accommodate the mammalian parasites other than those infecting the primates. Dia ...

'' of the genus ''Plasmodium''. The genus ''Plasmodium'' is most closely related to ''

Polychromophilus The genus ''Polychromophilus'' consists of obligate intracellular eukaryotic Parasitism, parasites that infect bats from every continent except Antarctica. They are transmitted by bat flies, which act as an insect vector as well as the parasite� ...

''. The relation between these genera is under debate at present and a revision of the taxonomy seems likely to be required. From this study it seems that ''Plasmodium odocoilei'' belongs to a clade that is most closely related to ''Polychromophilus''. This study was based on mitochondria, plastid and nuclear genes which makes it likely to have the correct topology. Molecular genetic studies have show that this species is actually at least two separate species that diverged between to .

Description

This species has large vacuoles in the erythroctic stages. It causes deformation and discolouration of the host erythrocyte.

Vectors

* '' Anopheles punctipennis''

Hosts

This species has been detected in while-tailed deer (''

Odocoileus virginianus The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...

'') in the eastern United States. * White-tailed deer (''

'')

References

odocoilei Parasites of mammals {{Plasmodium-stub