Motile stage of  Coccidia that is formed during  schizogony (  merogony) inside the  parasitophorous vacuole of a host cell. It is limited by a 3‐layered  pellicle and equipped with an  apical complex in order to enter host cells (Fig. 1, page 805),  Coccidia/Host Cell Invasion)). The merozoites of eimerids (e.g., genus  Eimeria,  Toxoplasma,  Sarcocystis) possess a  conoid, while it is lacking in haemosporideans and  piroplasms. Merozoites initiate either another schizogonic process or become gamonts.

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