Sarcocystis is a genus of parasitic Apicomplexan alveolates. Species in this genus infect reptiles, birds and mammals. The name is derived from Greek: sarkos = flesh and kystis = bladder.
There are about 130 recognised species in this genus. Revision of the taxonomy of this genus is ongoing and it is possible that all the currently recognised species may in fact be a single species or much smaller number of species that can infect multiple hosts.
The parasite's life cycle typically involves a predator and a prey animal. A single species may infect multiple prey or predator animals. In at least 56 species definitive and intermediate hosts are known. Many species are named after their recognised hosts
Further material on this genus can be found on the Sarcocystis page.
Mammalian species infected Superorder Euarchontoglires
Order Lagomorpha rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus)
Order Primates human (Homo sapiens) slow loris (Nycticebus coucang) baboon (Papio cynocephalus) tamarin (Saguinus oedipus)
Genus Macaca crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis) rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta)
Order Rodentia
Family Cricetidae varying lemming (Dicrostonyx richardsoni) prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) woodrat (Neotoma micropus) muskrat (Ondatra zibethica) Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus)
Family Erinaceidae moonrat (Echinosorex gymnura)
Family Muridae bandicoot rat (Bandicota indica) African soft-furred rat (Mastomys natalensis) house mouse (Mus musculus) Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) Sulawesi giant rat (Paruromys dominator)
Genus Bunomys yellow-haired hill rat (Bunomys chrysocomus) fraternal hill rat (Bunomys fratrorum)
Genus Maxomys Bartels's spiny rat (Maxomys bartelsii) Musschenbroek's spiny rat (Maxomys musschenbroekii)
Genus Rattus Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans) bush rat (Rattus fuscipes) brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) yellow-tailed rat (Rattus xanthurus)
Family Sciuridae eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus)
Genus Spermophilus Richardson's ground squirrel (Spermophilus richardsonii) 13-lined ground squirrels (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus tridecemlineatus)
Superorder Laurasiatheria
Order Artiodactyla
Suborder Ruminantia
Family Antilocapridae pronghorn (Antilocapra americana)
Family Bovidae water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Grant's gazelle (Nanger granti) mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) Mongolian gazelle (Procapra gutturosa) chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) African buffalo (Syncerus caffer)
Genus Bison bison (Bison bison) wisent (Bison bonasus)
Genus Bos yak (Bos grunniens) cattle (Bos taurus) dwarf zebu (Bos taurus)
Genus Capra goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) alpine ibex (Capra ibex)
Genus Ovis European mouflons (Ovis ammon musimon) sheep (Ovis aries)
Family Cervidae moose (Alces alces) mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus)
Genus Cervus American elk (Cervus canadensis) roe deer (Cervus capreolus) hard ground swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli branderi) red deer (Cervus elaphus) elk (Cervus elaphus)
Genus Dama fallow deer (Dama dama dama) Persian fallow deer (Dama dama mesopotamica)
Family Giraffidae giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)
Suborder Suina warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) pig (Sus scrofa scrofa)
Suborder Tylopoda
Genus Camelus camel (Camelus dromedarius)
Genus Lama llama (Lama glama) guanaco (Lama guanicoe)
Genus Vicugna vicuña (Vicugna vicugna) alpaca (Vicugna pacos)
Order Carnivora
Suborder Caniformia
Family Canidae
Genus Nyctereutes raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides)
Genus Vulpes red fox (Vulpes vulpes)
Tribe Canini
Genus Canis dog (Canis lupus familiaris) coyote (Canis latrans) wolf (Canis lupus)
Genus Lycaon wild dog (Lycaon pictus)
Superfamily Pinnipedia
Family Phocidae bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi)
Family Otariidae northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) sea lion (Zalophus californianus)
Family Mustelidae sea otter (Enhydra lutris) otter (Lutra lutra) European badger (Meles meles) skunk (Mephitis mephitis) American badger (Taxidea taxus)
Genus Mustela common European weasel (Mustela nivalis) mink (Mustela vison)
Family Procyonidae raccoon (Procyon lotor)
Family Ursidae
Genus Ursus black bears (Ursus americanus) polar bears (Ursus maritimus)
Suborder Feloidea
Genus Felis cougar (Felis concolor coryi) cougar (Felis concolor stanleyana) cat (Felis domesticus) bobcats (Felis rufus floridanus)
Genus Panthera African lions (Panthera leo) leopards (Panthera pardus) tigers (Panthera tigris)
Order Cetacea beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) Atlantic white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus acutus) striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba)
Order Perissodactyla
Genus Equus donkey (Equus asinus) horse (Equus caballus)
Superorder Xenarthra Hoffmann's two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)
Marsupials Bennett's wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus) unadorned rock wallaby (Petrogale assimilis) Tasmanian pademelon (Thylogale billardierii)
Genus Didelphis white-eared opossum (Didelphis albiventris) Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana)
Bird species infected
This genus infects at least 11 orders, 22 families, 38 genera and 46 species.
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae redhead duck (Aythya americana) Canada goose (Branta canadensis) common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) blue-winged teal (Querquedula discors)
Genus Anas northern pintail (Anas acuta) northern shoveler (Anas clypeata) blue-winged teal (Anas discors) mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) American black duck (Anas rubripes) gadwall (Anas strepera)
Order Ciconiiformes
Family Ardeidae great blue heron (Ardea herodias) green backed herons (Butorides striatus) great egret (Casmerodius albus) little blue heron (Egretta caerulea)
Family Threskiornithidae American white ibis (Eudocimus albus)
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae Wilson's snipe (Gallinago delicata) American woodcock (Scolopax minor)
Order Coliiformes
Family Coliidae red-faced mousebird (Urocolius indicus)
Order Columbiformes
Family Columbidae morning doves (Zenaida macroura)
Order Falconiformes
Family Accipitridae Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii) goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Family Falconidae falconids (genus Falco)
Order Galliformes
Family Phasianidae wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus)
Family Tetraonidae capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus)
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae canary (Serinus canaria)
Family Icteridae great-tailed grackle (Cassidix mexicanus) cowbirds (Molothrus ater) common crackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
Family Paridae great tit (Parus major)
Family Turdidae European blackbird (Turdus merula)
Order Pelecaniformes
Family Sulidae northern gannet (Morus bassanus)
Order Phoenicopteriformes
Family Phoenicopteridae lesser flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor)
Order Psittaciformes
Family Psittacidae Patagonian conure (Cyanoliseus patagonus) budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) thick-billed parrot (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha)
Order Strigiformes
Family Strigidae long-eared owl (Asio otus) snowy owls (Nyctea scandiaca)
Genus Strix northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) barred owl (Strix varia)
Family Tytonidae
Genus Tyto European barn owl (Tyto alba) masked owl (Tyto novaehollandiae)
Reptile species infected Snakes
Family Colubridae Dahl's whip snake (Coluber najadum) Rio tropical racer (Mastigodryas bifossatus) gopher snake (Pituophis melanoleucus) bullsnake (Pituophis melanoleucus sayi)
Family Elapidae tiger snake (Notechis ater)
Family Pythonidae black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus) carpet python (Morelia spilotes) Malaysian reticulated python (Python reticulatus)
Family Viperidae southern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix) Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus) Arabian saw-scaled viper (Echis coloratus) desert viper (Pseudocerastes persicus) Palestinian viper (Daboia palaestinae)
Lizards
Family Chamaeleonidae Fischer's chameleon (Chamaleo fischeri)
Family Gekkonidae Mediterranean house gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) fan-footed gecko (Ptyodactylus guttatus) Jordan short-fingered gecko (Stenodactylus grandiceps)
Family Lacertidae Gran Canarian giant lizard (Gallotia stehlini)
Family Scincidae ocellated skink (Chalcides ocellatus)
Family Teiidae common ameiva (Ameiva ameiva)
Species infecting mammals Sarcocystis americana Sarcocystis arieticanis Sarcocystis asinus Sarcocystis aucheniae Sarcocystis bertrami Sarcocystis bigemina Sarcocystis booliati Sarcocystis bovifelis Sarcocystis bovicanis Sarcocystis bovihominis Sarcocystis buffalonis Sarcocystis cameli Sarcocystis camelopardalis Sarcocystis campestris Sarcocystis canis Sarcocystis capracanis Sarcocystis cernae Sarcocystis cervicanis Sarcocystis cuniculi Sarcocystis crotali Sarcocystis cruzi Sarcocystis cymruensis Sarcocystis danzani Sarcocystis dasypi Sarcocystis debonei Sarcocystis diminuta Sarcocystis dirumpens Sarcocystis dubeyella Sarcocystis dubeyi Sarcocystis equicanis Sarcocystis fayeri Sarcocystis felis Sarcocystis fusiformis Sarcocystis garnhami Sarcocystis gigantea Sarcocystis giraffae Sarcocystis gracilis Sarcocystis greineri Sarcocystis grueneri Sarcocystis hardangeri Sarcocystis hemioni Sarcocystis hemionilatrantis Sarcocystis hericanis Sarcocystis hirsuta Sarcocystis hjorti Sarcocystis hofmanni Sarcocystis hominis Sarcocystis horvathi Sarcocystis hircicanis Sarcocystis iberica Sarcocystis idahoensis Sarcocystis inghami Sarcocystis jorrini Sarcocystis klaseriensis Sarcocystis kirkpatricki Sarcocystis kortei Sarcocystis lamacanis Sarcocystis leporum Sarcocystis levinei Sarcocystis lindemanni Sarcocystis lindsayi Sarcocystis linearis Sarcocystis medusiformis Sarcocystis meischeriana Sarcocystis mephitisi Sarcocystis mihoensis Sarcocystis mongolica Sarcocystis morae Sarcocystis moulei Sarcocystis mucosa Sarcocystis murinotechis Sarcocystis muris Sarcocystis neotomafelis Sarcocystis muriviperae Sarcocystis neuroma Sarcocystis nesbitti Sarcocystis odoi Sarcocystis orientalis Sarcocystis ovicanis Sarcocystis ovifelis Sarcocystis oviformis Sarcocystis ovalis Sarcocystis phacochoeri Sarcocystis porcifelis Sarcocystis rangi Sarcocystis rangiferi Sarcocystis rauschorum Sarcocystis sebeki Sarcocystis sibirica Sarcocystis sigmodontis Sarcocystis suicanis Sarcocystis suihominis Sarcocystis sulawesiensis Sarcocystis sybillensis Sarcocystis tarandi Sarcocystis tilopodi Sarcocystis tenella Sarcocystis ursusi Sarcocystis venatoria Sarcocystis wapiti
Species infecting birds Sarcocystis accipitris Sarcocystis cornixi Sarcocystis debonei Sarcocystis dispersa Sarcocystis falcatula Sarcocystis horvathi Sarcocystis kirmsei Sarcocystis phoeniconaii Sarcocystis rauschorum Sarcocystis rileyi Sarcocystis turdi
Species infecting reptiles Sarcocystis ameivamastigodryasi Sarcocystis atheridis Sarcocystis chamaleonis Sarcocystis gerbilliechis Sarcocystis gongyli Sarcocystis idahoensis Sarcocystis mitrani Sarcocystis murinotechis Sarcocystis muriviperae Sarcocystis podarcicolubris Sarcocystis roudabushi Sarcocystis stehlinii Sarcocystis stenodactylicolubris Sarcocystis turcicii Sarcocystis villivilliso Sarcocystis zaman
Species infected but parasite not yet identified