Perkinsus is a
genus of
alveolates in the phylum
Perkinsozoa. The genus was erected in 1978 to better treat its type species, Perkinsus marinus, known formerly as Dermocystidium marinum.[1] These are
parasiticprotozoans that infect
molluscs, at least some of which cause disease and mass mortality. P. marinus is the most notorious, causing the disease perkinsosis, or dermo, in wild and farmed
oysters.[2]
Description
Perkinsus is a
genus in the class Perkinsea that is a parasite of bivalve
molluscs; it displays a number of features typical of the
dinoflagellates including laterally inserted heterodynamic
flagella,. However, it has been settled that Perkinsus does not belong to the
phylumDinoflagellata, but rather into the phylum
Perkinsozoa,[3] which is the
sister group of dinoflagellates.[4]
Classification
As of 2004, six valid species were in the genus.[1] At least two more have been described since then.[5][6]
^
abDungan, C. F.; Reece, K. S. (2006). "In vitro propagation of two Perkinsus spp. parasites from Japanese Manila clams, Venerupis philippinarum, and description of Perkinsus honshuensis n. sp". J Eukaryot Microbiol. 53 (5): 316–26.
doi:
10.1111/j.1550-7408.2006.00120.x.
PMID16968449.
S2CID20733450.
^Coss, C. A.; et al. (2001). "Description of Perkinsus andrewsi n. sp. isolated from the Baltic clam (Macoma balthica) by characterization of the ribosomal RNA locus, and development of a species-specific PCR-based diagnostic assay". J Eukaryot Microbiol. 48 (1): 52–61.
doi:
10.1111/j.1550-7408.2001.tb00415.x.
PMID11249193.
S2CID30154498.
^Azevedo, C (August 1989). "Fine structure of Perkinsus atlanticus n. sp. (Apicomplexa, Perkinsea) parasite of the clam Ruditapes decussatus from Portugal". The Journal of Parasitology. 75 (4): 627–35.
doi:
10.2307/3282915.
JSTOR3282915.
PMID2760774.
^Burreson, E. M.; et al. (2005). "Molecular, morphological, and experimental evidence support the synonymy of Perkinsus chesapeaki and Perkinsus andrewsi". J Eukaryot Microbiol. 52 (3): 258–70.
doi:
10.1111/j.1550-7408.2005.05-00035.x.
PMID15927003.
S2CID24256877.
External links
Guiry, M. D. & G. M. Guiry. 2013.
Perkinsus Levine, 1978. AlgaeBase. National University of Ireland, Galway. Accessed 8 September 2013.