Clade 1 was found exclusively in M. americana, providing new insights into the evolutionary relationship between the white-tailed deer and the red brocket. This suggests a more complex evolutionary history of the parasite, potentially shaped by host phylogeny.

A previous study (Asada, 2018) hypothesised that only clade 2 reached South America, while clade 1 remained in North America due to GABI. Our findings challenge this, as we detected both clades in South American deer (M. americana and M. nemorivaga).

Indeed, the Great American Biotic Interchange facilitated faunal mixing, but what is particularly interesting here is that Plasmodium odocoilei is not a single entity—two distinct clades have been identified.

What’s next? Understanding how these parasites interact with other mammals and potential vectors in the Amazon. Exciting times ahead! 🚀

📄 Read more: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
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Until now, clade 1 was thought to be exclusive to North America, while clade 2 was reported in South America. Our findings challenge this idea and raise new questions about Plasmodium evolution in neotropical mammals.