Reevaluation of Hemoparasites in the Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis) with the First Pathological and Molecular Characterizations of Lankesterella desseri n. sp. and Redescription of Hepatozoon gamezi

Hemoprotozoa are microorganisms that parasitize the blood and possess intricate life cycles. Despite complexity of their nature, little is known about biology hemoprotozoa in reptilian hosts. In this study, we conducted disease surveillance on samples collected from six black spiny-tailed iguanas (Ctenosaura similis) exhibiting clinical signs. We found two different types hemoparasites films further confirmed they belong to genera Lakesterella Hepatozoon through molecular methods. tissue section a dead iguana infected only with sp., parasites were also melanomacrophages liver kidney. Since sp. infection has not been reported C. similis, propose hemococcidian as new species, Lankesterella desseri n. The discovered study classified gamezi based morphological characteristics, particularly notable deformation all erythrocytes, classification was corroborated biological phylogenetic analyses. This first investigation similis pathological characterization these pathogens. suggest more studies needed understand epidemiology, transmission, impact hosts ecosystems.