Vetufebrus ovatus was described based on a group of fossilized specimens which are preserved as in the host batfly, itself an inclusion in a transparent chunk of Dominican amber.

[1][2] The amber is fossil resin that was produced by the extinct Hymenaea protera, which formerly grew on Hispaniola, across northern South America and up to southern Mexico.

The holotype fossil was first studied by entomologist George Poinar Jr. of Oregon State University with his 2011 type description of the new genus and species being published in the journal Parasites & Vectors.

[5] The sporozoites preserved in the salivary glands and ducts are similar in size to those in the oocysts, which indicate that V. ovatus was successfully vectored to the flies host.

[1] The infection association was the first instance of a Streblidae family bat fly acting as host and vector for a malarial parasite.

Both oocysts have a thin surrounding membrane, multiple dark colored cells with nuclei and a number of developing sporozoites.