| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2436409 | International Journal for Parasitology | 2010 | 5 Pages |
Abstract
The developmental stages of Hepatozoon tuatarae were elucidated in both the tuatara host, Sphenodon punctatus and the tick, Amblyomma sphenodonti. PCR amplicons from A. sphenodonti samples identified DNA matching H. tuatarae. Dissection of tick samples showed oogenesis and sporogony occurring in the haemocoel of A. sphenodonti with the average mature oocyst size being 236 × 228 μm. Partial sequence data of the parasite’s small subunit ribosomal gene, obtained by PCR, was used for phylogenetic comparison. Characterisation of the H. tuatarae lifecycle will help in conservation management of the tuatara.
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Authors
James D.K. Herbert, Stephanie S. Godfrey, C. Michael Bull, R. Ian Menz,