Haemoproteus cf. copsychi, Paperna & Keong & May, 2008

Paperna, Ilan, Keong, Malcolm Soh Chu & May, Charlotte Yap Aye, 2008, Haemosporozoan Parasites Found In Birds In Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sarawak And Java, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 56 (2), pp. 211-243 : 215-216

Haemoproteus cf. copsychi

(Table 2)

Locality. – Malaysia: Fraser’s Hill , Feb.2002, found in one bird .

Description. – The gametocytes resemble H. copsychi new species (see vide) they are short, with their ends only slightly extending beyond the erythrocyte nucleus; they end bluntly, closely applied to, and some slighly bend around the host cell margins. They cause the erythrocyte to swell and usually moderate to extreme displacement of its nucleus (NDR–macrogametocytes: 0.45 ± 0.17; microgametocytes 0.52 ± 0.31). The pigment granules (numbering 10–21), are round and variable in size. The macrogametocyte cytoplasm stains blue, with the nucleus in a median or close to median position. The microgametocyte stains pink and occasionally forms amoeboid rims.

Remarks. – Gametocytes are stout and cause considerable displacement of the erythrocyte nucleus and disfiguration of the erythrocyte. They are reminiscent of Hae. copsychi , new species described from the turdiid Copsychus malabaricus from Sarawak.