288 HANDBOOK OF PROTOZOOLOGY 



is taken up by a specific blood-sucking invertebrate host, 

 the gametocytes develop into gametes which unite to form the 

 zygotes that undergo changes similar to the processes stated 

 above for the family Plasmodiidae. 



Genus Haemoproteus Kruse. Young gametocytes enter 

 erythrocytes. They produce pigment granules at the expense 

 of the haemoglobin of the host cells. The fully formed gameto- 

 cyte is halter-shaped and hence the name Halteridium (Labbe). 

 Parasitic in birds and reptiles. 



Haemoproteus columbae Celli and Sanfelice (Fig. 122, e, /). 

 A parasite of the pigeon, Columha livia, and has been found 

 to be widely distributed. The schizogony takes place in the 

 endothelial cells of the capillaries of the pigeon's lungs and other 

 organs. The sexual reproduction occurs in species of flies be- 

 longing to the genus Lynchia. 



i) OOOO 00©® 



Fig. 122 a-d. Plasmodium praecox. X800 (After Hartman). a, b, 

 schizogony; c, microgametocyte; d, macrogameto- 

 cyte. 

 e, f. Micro- and macro-gametocyte of Haemoproteus 

 columbae. X600. (After Aragao). 

 g. Babesia bigemina. X 1000 (After Nuttall and Gra- 

 ham-Smith), 

 h. B. bovis. XIOOO (After Nuttall). 

 i. Theileria parva. XIOOO (After Nuttall). 



Genus Leucocytozoon Danilewsky. Blood-parasites of vari- 

 ous birds. Certain cells in the peripheral blood are infected by 

 forms which are interpreted as macro- and micro-gametocytes. 

 No pigments are produced. The infected host cells appear to 

 be young erythrocytes, in which haemoglobin has not yet de- 

 veloped and which has become spindle-shaped. Schizogony 

 probably takes place in the endothelial cells of internal organs. 

 Since their life-history is unknown, these organisms have been 

 put in various places. Following the majority of recent authors, 

 the genus is provisionally placed in this family. Several species. 



