Molecular characterization and morphological description of cryptic haemoproteids in the laughingthrushes (Leiothrichidae) in the western and eastern Himalaya, India.

Laughingthrushes (family: Leiothrichidae) consists of diverse and widespread species found in the Indian subcontinent but there is a lack of information on their avian haemosporidians.  : We sampled 231 laughingthrushes of 8 species in the western and eastern Himalaya in India. Using parasite morphology and cytochrome sequences we describe 2 new species harbored in 3 species of laughingthrushes and report a case of cryptic speciation. : First lineage TROERY01 (GenBank: KY623720) found in (27.47%) and (2.9%) in mid to high altitude tropical forests in the western and eastern Himalaya, was described as n. sp. (Haemosporida: Haemoproteidae). Second lineage TROERY02 (GenBank: KY623721) described as n. sp. (Haemosporida: Haemoproteidae) was found in (2.19%) and (3.84%), albeit in low intensity, only in the western Himalaya. Both n. sp. and n. sp. showed no significant difference in morphological features in blood stages. A genetic divergence of 4.4% along with distinct phylogenetic position indicates that these 2 lineages represent cryptic species. Previously, has been described as an additional host for a morphologically described in the oriental region. Our described species have several morphological features that are absent in These are, the presence of dumbbell-like shaped mature gametocytes, 'arm' like extensions of gametocytes and lateral displacement of nuclei of infected erythrocytes. Illustrations of blood stages of the new species are given, and phylogenetic analysis with morphologically described species identifies parasites closely related to the 2 described parasites. : The lineages described here have been recorded only in the laughingthrushes so far. These are the first parasites to be described with as a type host from the western and eastern Himalaya in India.