This genus was created by Labbe in 1899. This genus is more commonly known as
Atoxoplasma, it is a genus of parasitic alveolates in the phylum Apicomplexa. Atoxoplasma species in passerines are a group of organisms with intestinal and extraintestinal forms that can cause significant morbidity and mortality but are not transmissible by syringe. These genera were united by Lainson in 1959. They were separated again by Levin in 1982. More commonly known as Atoxoplasma, it is a genus of parasitic alveolates in the phylum Apicomplexa.
Apicomplexans are obligate intracellular parasites that typically invade blood cells. They have a distinct feature called the
apical complex which helps in the penetration of the parasite into the host cell. Atoxoplasma sp. in passerines is a group of organisms with intestinal and extraintestinal forms that can cause significant morbidity and mortality. This latter name was coined by Garnham in 1950 for a group of parasites resembling
Toxoplasma. Recent molecular studies revealed that some of the avian parasites which were initially thought to be
Hepatozoon species were actually found to be closely related to the amphibian parasite
Lankesterella minima. The apicomplexan genera Lankesterella and Schellackia were largely believed to form a monophyletic clade within the family Lankesterellidae. However, phylogenetic analyses revealed they have an independent evolutionary origin. Morphological identification is clearly not enough due to the many errors that occur in identification and hence the need for
DNA barcoding for precise identification of the target species. ==Description==