Table 20 Key to the Haemoproteus species of Pelecaniformes birds

1 (2)

Fully grown gametocytes occupy all or nearly all cytoplasmic space in infected erythrocytes, including poles of the erythrocytes (Fig. 21a, b); they vary from broadly halteridial (Fig. 21a, c) to circumnuclear (Fig. 21b) in form (the former form predominates). The average number of pigment granules in macrogametocytes is greater than 25, and it is approximately half as many in microgametocytes (compare Fig. 21a, b with Fig. 21c)

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H. plataleae (Fig. 21a–c) [3, 116]

2 (1)

Fully grown gametocytes usually do not occupy all or nearly all cytoplasmic space in infected erythrocytes, including poles of erythrocytes (Fig. 21d, f, i); they are thin halteridial in form (Fig. 21d–f, i). The average number of pigment granules in macrogametocytes is less than 25, and it is approximately the same in macrogametocytes and microgametocytes

3 (4)

Markedly ameboid forms predominate among young gametocytes (Fig. 21e). Advanced growing and fully grown gametocytes are predominantly markedly irregular in outline (Fig. 21d, f)

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H. pelouroi (Fig. 21d–f) [3, 116, 117]

4 (3)

Ameboid forms do not predominate among young gametocytes; outline of growing gametocytes is predominantly even (Fig. 21g–i). Advanced growing (Fig. 21g, h) and fully grown gametocytes (Fig. 21i) are predominantly even in outline, but gametocytes with slightly wavy margins might occur occasionally

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H. herodiadis (Fig. 21g–i) [3, 118]