n. sp. and Infect European Wild Cats, , in Romania.

Haemoparasites of the genus infect a wide range of domestic and wild animals. Feline babesiosis is considered endemic in South Africa, while data on spp. infection in felids in Europe is scarce. Using samples from 51 wild felids, 44 and 7 , the study aimed to determine the presence and genetic diversity of spp. in wild felids in Romania by analyzing the 18S rDNA and two mitochondrial markers, cytochrome (Cytb) and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) genes. By 18S rDNA analyses, spp. DNA was detected in 20 European wild felids. All sequences showed 100% similarity to by BLAST analysis. Conversely, Cytb and COI analyses revealed the presence of two spp., n. sp., which we herein describe, and . The pairwise comparison of both mitochondrial genes of n. sp. showed a genetic distance of at least 10.3% from the most closely related species, . Phylogenetic analyses of Cytb and COI genes revealed that n. sp. is related to the so-called "large" canid-associated species forming a separate subclade in a sister position to .