Perkinsus is a genus of Alveolata in the phylum Perkinsozoa. The genus was erected in 1978 to better treat its type species, Perkinsus marinus, known formerly as Dermocystidium marinum.[Petty, D. Perkinsus Infections of Bivalve Molluscs. FA178. Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. Florida Cooperative Extension Service. University of Florida IFAS. 2010.]
Description
Perkinsus is a
genus in the class Perkinsea that is a parasite of bivalve
; it displays a number of features typical of the
including laterally inserted heterodynamic
flagella,. However, it has been settled that
Perkinsus does not belong to the
phylum Dinoflagellata, but rather into the phylum
Perkinsozoa,
which is the
sister group of dinoflagellates.
Classification
As of 2004, six valid species were in the genus.
[ At least two more have been described since then.]
Species and common hosts include:
-
Perkinsus andrewsi on Macoma balthica ( Macoma balthica)
-
Perkinsus beihaiensis on the oysters Magallana hongkongensis and M. ariakensis
[
]
-
Perkinsus chesapeaki on soft-shell clam ( Mya arenaria)
-
Perkinsus honshuensis on Manila clam ( Venerupis philippinarum)
[
]
-
Perkinsus marinus on eastern oyster ( Crassostrea virginica)
-
Perkinsus mediterraneus on Ostrea edulis ( Ostrea edulis)
-
Perkinsus olseni (syn. P. atlanticus) on blacklip abalone ( Haliotis rubra) and grooved carpet shell ( Ruditapes decussatus)
-
Perkinsus qugwadii on yesso scallop ( Patinopecten yessoensis)
P. andrewsi and P. chesapeaki might be the same species; because the latter was described first, the name P. andrewsi will be a synonym.
External links
-
Guiry, M. D. & G. M. Guiry. 2013. Perkinsus Levine, 1978. AlgaeBase. National University of Ireland, Galway. Accessed 8 September 2013.
