Haemogregarines of geckos in egypt, together with a description of haemogregarina helmymohammedi n.sp.

Abstract

Three species of geckos collected from various localities in Egypt were examined for protozoan blood parasites. Haemogregarines were reported in all the three species of geckos. Problems of the generic and specific identification of haemogregarines are reviewed and a practical policy suggested earlier is discussed, updated and followed in the present work. Haemogregarina tarentannulari Mohammed and Ramadan, 1996 and H.rawashi Mohammed and Ramadan, 1996 are redescribed from 44.4 and 43.8% of Tarentola annularis and Pty-chodactylus hasselquisti respectively and their geographical distribution is extended to new localities in Egypt. H.helmymohammedi n.sp. is described from Hemidactylus flaviviridis collected from Southern Sinai. Various blood forms and some tissue stages are described for the three species of haemogregarines which are also compared with other related species from Africa.