ABSTRACT
The genus Pleistophora belongs to the family Pleistophoridae, suborder Pansporablastina, phylum Microsporidia, kingdom Fungi. Currently, the family Pleistophoridae comprises –ve genera: Heterosporis, Ovavesicula, Ovipleistophora, Pleistophora, Trachipleistophora, and Vavraia. In turn, the genus Pleistophora consists of the following recognized species: Pleistophora ehrenbaumi, Pleistophora ¡nisterrensis, Pleistophora hippoglossoideos, Pleistophora hyphessobryconis, Pleistophora mirandellae, Pleistophora mulleri, Pleistophora ovariae, Pleistophora ronnea¡ei, and Pleistophora typicalis. In addition, it contains a number of unassigned species: Pleistophora sp., Pleistophora sp. ED-2005, Pleistophora sp. LS, Pleistophora sp. PA, Pleistophora sp. Sd-Nu-IW8201, Pleistophora sp. TB, Pleistophora sp.1, Pleistophora sp.2, and Pleistophora sp.3 [1]. As common parasites of –sh, Pleistophora ronnea¡ei and other Pleistophora spp. have been implicated in clinical cases of human myositis [2].
