Perkinsidae

Perkinsidae
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Sar
Clade: Alveolata
Phylum: Perkinsozoa
Class: Perkinsea
Order: Perkinsida
Family: Perkinsidae
Levine, 1978
Genera

2, see text

Perkinsidae is a family of alveolates in the phylum Perkinsozoa, a sister group to the dinoflagellates.

Members

It includes Perkinsus species, which are parasitic protozoans, some of which cause disease and mass mortality in wild and farmed molluscs such as oysters.

There are two genera:[1]

  • Perkinsus, a genus of 7 to 8 species
  • Psammosa, a genus of 2 species

Characteristics

Perkinsidae possess plastids which do not contain DNA.[2]

References

  1. ^ Guiry, M. D. & G. M. Guiry. 2025. Perkinsidae. AlgaeBase. National University of Ireland, Galway. Accessed 11 February 2025.
  2. ^ Matsuzaki, M; Kuroiwa, H; Kuroiwa, T; Kita, K; Nozaki, H (June 2008). "A cryptic algal group unveiled: a plastid biosynthesis pathway in the oyster parasite Perkinsus marinus". Molecular Biology and Evolution. 25 (6): 1167–79. doi:10.1093/molbev/msn064. PMID 18359776.