TABLE 1.
Giardia species
| Species name | Hosts | Morphology determined by: |
Reference(s) for species description | Genotype(s) (reference[s]) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light microscopy | Electron microscopy | ||||
| G. duodenalis | Humans, numerous mammals | Pear-shaped trophozoite; claw-shaped median body | 7, 318 | AI (4) | |
| AII (17) | |||||
| B (16, 17) | |||||
| C and D (19) | |||||
| G. muris | Rodents | Short and rounded; small, rounded median body | 7; EM (319) | ||
| G. agilis | Amphibians | Long and slender; teardrop-shaped median body | 7; EM (320) | ||
| G. psittaci | Psittacine birds | Same as G. duodenalis | Incomplete ventrolateral flange, no marginal groove | 321 | |
| G. microti | Rodents | Same as G. duodenalis | Cysts contain two trophozoites with mature ventral disks | 322 | |
| G. ardeae | Herons | Same as G. duodenalis | Ventral disk and caudal flagellum similar to G. muris | 323 | |
| G. peramelis | Quenda (small marsupial) | Same as G. duodenalis | 324 | ||
| G. cricetidarum | Hamsters | Short and rounded; closer to G. muris than other species | 325 | ||