(Cephalophus). This clade appears to be basal to the other species infecting mammals including the genus Polychromophilus. Possible evolution The evidence suggests the following evolutionary scenario: Plasmodium evolved from a Leucocystis like ancestor. This ancestor gave rise to the subgenus Parahaemoproteus. Both of these taxa infect birds. Plasmodium evolved from its Parahaemoproteus ancestor when it gained the ability to infect lizards. After this Plasmodium diverged into a mammal infecting clade and a bird/lizard infecting clade. Within the bird/lizard clade some species developed the ability to infect bats (Nycteria). Within the mammalian clade a number of species have also developed the ability to infect bats (Hepatocystis). Since Haemoproteus evolved after the evolution of birds this would suggest that an upper limit for the evolution of this genus is approximately . The Columbidae - hosts of the Haemoproteus species - evolved in South East Asia. It is possible that this also was the origin of the genus Haemoproteus. This upper limit may be further reduced. The genus Leucocytozoon is thought to have evolved in the Oligocene. This would place an upper limit of for the evolution of the genus Leucocytozoon. This is in agreement with an estimate of the time of the basal radiation of the genus Plasmodium. This date of origin lies within the range of other estimates suggesting that it is plausible. This suggestion is supported by other analyses. Relations with non Haemosporidian genera The Piroplasma are usually considered to be the closest relations to the Haemosporidians. Based on the evolution of their vectors (ticks) they may have evolved ~. The vectors of Babesia and Theileria - ticks - evolved ± . The hard (Ixodidae) and soft bodied (Argasidae) ticks diverged ± . The most likely place of origin of the ticks is Northern Gondwana and most probably within the region that now constitutes Eastern Africa. A molecular Bayesian study of Babesia and Theileria species along with Plasmodium species suggests that Babesia and Theileria are sister clades and that they diverged from Plasmodium ~ (95% credible interval: - ) The dating in this study used a date of for the origin of the genus Plasmodium. The authors also estimated that Theileria evolved (95% credible interval – ) and that Babesia evolved (95% credible interval –) Another analysis suggests that Babesia and Theileria are more closely related to the adeleid species than to Plasmodium. An examination of sequences from Babesiidae, Cryptosporiidae,