Remarks on the status of the genus Leucocytozoon Sambon, 1908

Abstract

Authorship of the genus Leucocytozoon has been variously assigned to several investigatiors, especially Danilewsky and Ziemann. Recently Hsu, Campbell & Levine (1973) have credited it to Berestneff. It is herein submitted that they erred in doing so and in relegating Akiba Bennett, Garnham & Fallis, 1965 and Saurocytozoon Lainson & Shaw, 1969 to synonymy with it. An attempt is made to clarify the confusion that has increasingly surrounded the genus Leucocytozoon, and it is recommended that the type species (by designation) should be Leucocytozoon majoris (Laveran, 1902), one of a mixture of organisms earlier lumped together under a name (Haemamoeba Grassi & Feletti, 1890) currently reserved for an avian subgenus of Plasmodium Marchiafava & Celli, 1885. We conclude that the generic name should be credited to Sambon, the 1st author to present an unequivocal description of the genus.