''Rayella'' is a genus of parasitic alveolates 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 ...

Apicomplexia The Apicomplexa (also called Apicomplexia) are a large phylum of parasitic Alveolata, 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 stru ...

. Its vertebrate hosts are flying squirrels. The vectors are not presently known.

Taxonomy

This genus was described by Dasgupta in 1967.

Hosts

*''R. gigantica'' — spotted giant flying squirrel ('' Petaurista elegans caniceps'') *''R. hylopetei'' — particoloured flying squirrel ('' Hylopetes alboniger'') *''R. rayi'' —

Himalaya The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

n flying squirrel ('' Petaurista magnificus'')

Distribution

All of the currently known species have been reported from Darjiling, India.

References

Apicomplexa genera Parasites of rodents Haemosporida {{Apicomplexa-stub