Two New Trypanosomes from California Toads and Lizards

Abstract

SYNOPSIS Trypanosoma bufophlebotomi n. sp. and T. scelopori n. sp. are described from the California toad Bufo boreas halophilus and the western fence lizard Sceloporus occidentalis , respectively. T. bufophlebotomi occurred in 15% of 39 toads examined and is characterized by a juxtanuclear, bipolar‐staining kinetoplast. The parasite may share a common ancestry with another sandfly‐transmitted trypanosome of toads from China. T. scelopori occurred in 0.4% of 758 lizards examined for malarial parasites. It may also develop in sandflies.