Dactylosoma
Dactylosoma is a genus of parasitic alveolates of the phylum Apicomplexia.
Species in this genus have two hosts in their life cycle: the vertebrate host is a fish or amphibian and the invertebrate host is a glossiphoniid leech.Taxonomy
This genus was described by Labbé in 1894. The type species is Dactylosoma ranarum.Description
Secondary merogony produces 6 smaller merozoites that are destined to become intraerythrocytic gamonts.
Gametogony: The gametocytes are larger, elongated forms derived from some of the merozoites.
Oocysts are formed after fertilization in the leech intestine. 30 or more sporozoites are produced by exogenous budding directly in the cytoplasm of the intestinal epithelial cells. No oocyst wall is formed.
