Taxonomy
The class is divided into four orders which are distinguished by the presence or absence of various asexual and sexual stages:
- Order Agamococcidiorida Levine 1979
- Order Eucoccidiorida Léger & Duboscq 1910
- Order Ixorheorida Levine 1984
- Order Protococcidiorida Kheisin 1956
The order Eucoccidiorida is divided into two suborders. These these two groups differ in their sexual development: syzygy for Adeleorina and independent gametes for Eimeriorina.
The first suborder, Adeleorina, comprises coccidia of invertebrates and the coccidia that alternate between blood-sucking invertebrates and various vertebrates; this group includes Haemogregarina and Hepatozoon. There are seven families in this suborder.
The second suborder, Eimeriorina, comprises coccidia of a variety of coccidia many of form cysts. A number of genera, including Toxoplasma and Sarcocystis, infect vertebrates.
Read more about this topic: Coccidia