Boundenga L. auteur aut IRD Makanga B. auteur aut IRD Ollomo B. auteur aut IRD Gilabert A. auteur aut IRD Rougeron V. auteur aut IRD Mve-Ondo B. auteur aut IRD Arnathau C. auteur aut IRD Durand P. auteur aut IRD Moukodoum N. D. auteur aut IRD Okouga A. P. auteur aut IRD Delicat-Loembet L. auteur aut IRD Yacka-Mouele L. auteur aut IRD Rahola Nil auteur aut IRD Leroy Eric auteur aut IRD Tidiane B. A. C. auteur aut IRD Renaud F. auteur aut IRD Prugnolle Franck auteur aut IRD Paupy Christophe auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf reformatted digital access Re-examination, using molecular tools, of the diversity of haemosporidian parasites (among which the agents of human malaria are the best known) has generally led to rearrangements of traditional classifications. In this study, we explored the diversity of haemosporidian parasites infecting vertebrate species (particularly mammals, birds and reptiles) living in the forests of Gabon (Central Africa), by analyzing a collection of 492 bushmeat samples. We found that samples from five mammalian species (four duiker and one pangolin species), one bird and one turtle species were infected by haemosporidian parasites. In duikers (from which most of the infected specimens were obtained), we demonstrated the existence of at least two distinct parasite lineages related to Polychromophilus species (i. e., bat haemosporidian parasites) and to sauropsid Plasmodium (from birds and lizards). Molecular screening of sylvatic mosquitoes captured during a longitudinal survey revealed the presence of these haemosporidian parasite lineages also in several Anopheles species, suggesting a potential role in their transmission. Our results show that, differently from what was previously thought, several independent clades of haemosporidian parasites (family Plasmodiidae) infect mammals and are transmitted by anopheline mosquitoes. specialized GABON 052 080 11 2 e0148958 [13 p.] 2016 1932-6203 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010066267 10.1371/journal.pone.0148958 1932-6203 [F B010066267] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010066267 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers16-03/010066267.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2016-04-01 2018-12-21 fdi:010066267 fre