Plasmodium beltrani

Plasmodium beltrani is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Sauramoeba.

Like all Plasmodium species P. beltrani has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are reptiles.

Description
This species was described by Peláez and Perez-Reyes in 1952.

Schizonts are lie laterally in the erythrocyte and produce 23-29 merozoites.

The gametocytes particularly the females, are very much broader and may be both lateral (elongated) and polar (rounded) in position.

Both the larger schizonts and the mature gametocytes cause enlargement of the erythrocyte.