Editing Coccidia (section)

==Taxonomy==

The class is divided into four orders, which are distinguished by the presence or absence of various asexual and sexual stages:

*Order [[Agamococcidiorida]] Levine-1979
*Order [[Eucoccidiorida]] Léger & Duboscq-1910
*Order [[Ixorheorida]] Levine-1984
*Order [[Protococcidiorida]] Kheisin-1956

The order Eucoccidiorida is divided into two suborders. These two groups differ in their sexual development: [[Meiosis|syzygy]] for [[Adeleorina]] and independent gametes for [[Eimeriorina]].

The first suborder, Adeleorina, comprises coccidia of invertebrates and the coccidia that alternate between blood-sucking invertebrates and various vertebrates; this group includes ''[[Haemogregarina]]'' and ''[[Hepatozoon]]''. There are seven families in this suborder.

The second suborder, Eimeriorina, comprises a variety of coccidia, many of which form cysts. A number of genera, including ''[[Toxoplasma]]'' and ''[[Sarcocystis]]'', infect vertebrates.