Paleoleishmania proterus n. gen., n. sp., (Trypanosomatidae: Kinetoplastida) from Cretaceous Burmese amber.
Poinar G Jr, Poinar R.
Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA. poinarg@science.oregonstate.edu
A trypanosomatid (Trypanosomatidae: Kinetoplastida) associated with a blood-filled female sand fly in Cretaceous Burmese amber, is described in the new genus and species, Paleoleishmania proterus. The genus Paleoleishmania is established as a collective genus for digenetic fossil trypanosomes associated with sand flies. Amastigotes, promastigotes and paramastigotes are described. Paleoleishmania proterus is the first fossil kinetoplastid and provides a minimum age for the digenetic Trypanosomatidae. Its discovery indicates that vector-borne pathogens had been established by the Early Cretaceous.
PMID: 15552057 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]