False-coloured electron micrograph o a Plasmodium sp. sporozoite.
Scientific classification
(unranked):
SAR
Superphylum:
Alveolata
Phylum:
Apicomplexa
Cless:
Aconoidasida
Order:
Haemosporida
Faimily:
Plasmodiidae
Genus:
Plasmodium Marchiafava & Celli, 1885
Species
about 200
Plasmodium, commonly kent as the malaria parasite, is a lairge genus o parasitic protozoa. As wi some other genera o cleenically important microorganisms, the genus name an aa yields a common noun; thus species o the genus are kent as plasmodia. Infection wi plasmodia is kent as malaria, a deadly disease widespread in the tropics.