Oxymonadidae

Multinucleated organism (20-165 µm); attached forms are funnel shaped cells composed of several karyomastigonts (1-26) forming a corona of nuclei, axostyles and flagella at the base of the rostellum; unattached forms loose their rostellum; in Kalotermitidae.

Uninucleate or multinucleated oxymonad flagellates composed of 1 to several karyomastigonts; occur in alternate motile unattached forms and sedentary forms attached to the chitinous intima of the host intestine by an anterior expansion the rostellum. The fibrous structure of the rostellum is mostly microtubular differing from the microfibrillar holdfast of Pyrsonymphidae.

The trophic form has one karyomastigont and is organized like an Oxymonas with 4 flagella, 1 anterior nucleus, a large axostyle protruding posteriorly, a rostellum containing a recurvent bundle of fibres; at the moulting period of the termite the flagellate detaches from the intestine wall and undergoes a series of transformations comprising the multiplication of flagella and an encystment phase when the flagella regress.