Diversity of Hepatozoon (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) parasites in snakes from the Amazonia region, with description of a new species.

In this study, by combining morphological and molecular data (18S rRNA gene), we identified four species of Hepatozoon in snakes from the Brazilian Amazonia region. We describe a new species of Hepatozoon infecting Bothrops atrox, provide the first molecular data for Hepatozoon luhei from Corallus hortulana, and record Hepatozoon cuestensis in Zonateres lanei and Hepatozoon odwyerae in Chironius carinatus. Furthermore, through a literature survey, we present an overview of studies on the genus Hepatozoon in snakes in Brazil, spanning over 120 years of research, highlighting species richness and sampling bias, particularly the knowledge gap in the northern region. Our results broaden the knowledge about the diversity, geographic distribution, and phylogenetic relationships of these hemogregarines, reinforcing the importance of integrative approaches to reveal the hidden diversity of parasites in the Amazonia.