''Legerella'' is a genus of parasitic alveolates of 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 ...
Apicomplexa.
[Tuzet O, Manier JF (1951) Le cycle de ''Legerella nova'' Schneider, coccidie parasite des tubes de Malpighi du ''Glomeris marginata'' Villers, et son observation par le microscope à contraste de phases. Annales des sciences naturelles: Zoologie et biologie animale] Species in this genus that usually infect the
malpighian tubules of
invertebrates.
''Legerella helminthorum'' infects the intestinal cells of the nematode ''
Mononchus composticola''
''Legerella testiculi'' infects the
testes of the millipede ''
Glomeris marginata''.
The
type species is ''Legerella nova''.
History
The genus was created by
Félix Mesnil
Félix Étienne Pierre Mesnil (Omonville-la-Petite, La Manche department, 12 December 1868 – 15 February 1938, Paris) was a French zoologist, biologist, botanist, mycologist and algologist.
He was a student of Alfred Giard at the École Nor ...
in 1900.
Taxonomy
There are five species known in this genus.
Description
The
oocyst
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 ...
contains numerous
sporozoites.
Sporocysts do not occur.
Host records
*''L. helminthorum'' -
nematode
The nematodes ( or grc-gre, Νηματώδη; la, Nematoda) or roundworms constitute the phylum Nematoda (also called Nemathelminthes), with plant-Parasitism, parasitic nematodes also known as eelworms. They are a diverse animal phylum inhab ...
(''
Mononchus composticola'')
*''L. hydropori'' - beetle (''
Hydroporus palustris'')
*''L. testiculi'' - millipede (''
Glomeris marginata'')
References
Apicomplexa genera
{{Apicomplexa-stub