Plasmodium lucens is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Novyella. As in all Plasmodium species, P. lucens has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are birds.
Taxonomy The parasite was first described by Valkiūnas et al. in 2008.Valkiūnas G., Iezhova T.A., Loiseau C., Smith T.B., Sehgal R.N. (2008) New malaria parasites of the subgenus Novyella in African rainforest birds, with remarks on their high prevalence, classification and diagnostics. Parasitol. Res.
Distribution This parasite is found in West Africa.
Vectors Not known.
Hosts P. lucens infects the olive sunbird (Cyanomitra olivacea).
References