{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,25]],"date-time":"2026-08-25T09:24:21Z","timestamp":1787649861491,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":23,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,25]],"date-time":"2026-08-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787616000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine"},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/04tj63d06","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pathogens"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Candidatus (Ca.) Allocryptoplasma is a newly identified, genetically diverse genus of vector-borne bacteria closely related to established blood-borne zoonotic pathogens, including Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Neoehrlichia species. Ca. Allocryptoplasma is a globally distributed pathogen detected across taxonomically diverse tick species and varied ecological niches. It maintains a complex enzootic circulation involving multiple vertebrate classes, including birds, small mammals, primates, and particularly reptiles, which serve as reservoir hosts. Methods: To characterize this emerging agent, multi-locus genetic DNA sequence analyses using the maximum likelihood method were performed on 16S rRNA, sucA, and rpoB genes amplified from the blood and vectors of marine iguanas and lizard species sampled across multiple islands in the Gal\u00e1pagos archipelago. Results: The compiled genomic data demonstrate that the Ca. Allocryptoplasma detected in the Gal\u00e1pagos lizards and marine iguanas represents a distinct lineage and a novel Ca. Allocryptoplasma species. Conclusions: Given its broad host plasticity, widespread geographic footprint, and vector-mediated transmission, the potential of Ca. Allocryptoplasma as a hidden, emerging zoonotic blood pathogen warrants intensive further evaluation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens15090892","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,25]],"date-time":"2026-08-25T09:04:30Z","timestamp":1787648670000},"page":"892","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Candidatus Allocryptoplasma Godzilla, a Novel Ca. Allocryptoplasma Species Detected in Marine Iguanas from Gal\u00e1pagos Islands"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7428-0138","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ricardo G.","family":"Maggi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-0010-2647","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emma","family":"Williams","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0716-1387","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gregory A.","family":"Lewbart","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA"},{"name":"Gal\u00e1pagos Science Center (GSC), Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Gal\u00e1pagos 200101, Ecuador"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9662-7320","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maximilian","family":"Hirschfeld","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gal\u00e1pagos Science Center (GSC), Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Gal\u00e1pagos 200101, Ecuador"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1068-148X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kenneth J.","family":"Lohmann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gal\u00e1pagos Science Center (GSC), Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Gal\u00e1pagos 200101, Ecuador"},{"name":"Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9792-5653","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Juan Pablo","family":"Mu\u00f1oz-P\u00e9rez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gal\u00e1pagos Science Center (GSC), Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Gal\u00e1pagos 200101, Ecuador"},{"name":"School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast UniSC, Fraser Coast161 Old Maryborough Road, Hervey Bay, QLD 4655, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Brittany S.","family":"Thomas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-5078-1770","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bridget","family":"Appiah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3506-0279","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Edward B.","family":"Breitschwerdt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105722","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ebiom.2025.105722","article-title":"The global distribution and risk prediction of Anaplasmataceae species: A systematic review and geospatial modelling analysis","volume":"115","author":"Huang","year":"2025","journal-title":"eBioMedicine"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.1051\/parasite\/2023014","article-title":"Diversity and phylogeny of the tick-borne bacterial genus Candidatus Allocryptoplasma (Anaplasmataceae)","volume":"30","author":"Ouass","year":"2023","journal-title":"Parasite"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2348","DOI":"10.3201\/eid2412.161958","article-title":"Candidatus Cryptoplasma Associated with Green Lizards and Ixodes ricinus Ticks, Slovakia, 2004\u20132011","volume":"24","author":"Kocikova","year":"2018","journal-title":"Emerg. 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