Parabasalids

"Tritrichomonads are small trichomonads (8-22 µm) with three anterior flagella and a recurrent flagellum forming a conspicuous undulating membrane with a posterior free portion. Costa stout or slender sustaining the undulating membrane; axostyle well developed; sausage-shaped parabasal. At the time of writing, there are about 20 species living in the intestinal tract of rodents, birds, reptiles and amphibians one species T. foetus is a parasite of the uro-genital tract of bovines. This image of  Tritrichomonas muris from mice, three anterior flagella, a recurrent flagellum forming an undulating membrane, axotyle protruding at the posterior end (phase contrast).

Tritrichomonads are small trichomonads (8-22 µm) with three anterior flagella and a recurrent flagellum forming a conspicuous undulating membrane with a posterior free portion. Costa stout or slender sustaining the undulating membrane; axostyle well developed; sausage-shaped parabasal. At the time of writing, there are about 20 species living in the intestinal tract of rodents, birds, reptiles and amphibians one species T. foetus is a parasite of the uro-genital tract of bovines. This image of two trichomonad species from the coecum of rodents, Tritrichomonas muris is larger than Tritrichomonas minuta, T. minuta has a narrower undulating membrane (protargol). 

"Tritrichomonads are small trichomonads (8-22 µm) with three anterior flagella and a recurrent flagellum forming a conspicuous undulating membrane with a posterior free portion. Costa stout or slender sustaining the undulating membrane; axostyle well developed; sausage-shaped parabasal. At the time of writing, there are about 20 species living in the intestinal tract of rodents, birds, reptiles and amphibians one species T. foetus is a parasite of the uro-genital tract of bovines. This image of  Tritrichomonas muris from guinea pig, axostyle with posterior subterminal rings, recurrent flagellum forming a thick undulating membrane with several layers subtended by the costa fibre, anterior nucleus (Giemsa staining).

Tritrichomonads are small trichomonads (8-22 µm) with three anterior flagella and a recurrent flagellum forming a conspicuous undulating membrane with a posterior free portion. Costa stout or slender sustaining the undulating membrane; axostyle well developed; sausage-shaped parabasal. At the time of writing, there are about 20 species living in the intestinal tract of rodents, birds, reptiles and amphibians one species T. foetus is a parasite of the uro-genital tract of bovines. This image of Tritrichomonas muris squashed cell showing the recurrent flagellum (Fr) associated with the different layer of the undulating membrane (dmo, pmo) linked to the subjacent costa (C), the axostyle (Ax) and nucleus (N) (Giemsa). 

Scanning electron micrograph of cells from a rodent.

Scanning EM showing the three anterior flagella and the undulating membrane.

Scanning EM showing the three anterior flagella and the undulating membrane.

Transverse section of the "rail-type" undulating membrane by transmission electron microscopy.

Dientamoeba is an amoeboid and amastigote parabasalid of about 5-20 µm in diameter, containing v-shaped parabasal body close to the nucleus but no flagella and axostyle. In binucleate cells a paradesmose is stretched between the two polar centers at the origin of the parabasal fibers. Anaerobic, contains hydrogenosomal granules, moves by amoeboism and phagocytoses particles such as bacteria and inhabits the intestine of humans. Dientamoeba fragilis, phase contrast. 

Dientamoeba is an amoeboid and amastigote parabasalid of about 5-20 µm in diameter, containing v-shaped parabasal body close to the nucleus but no flagella and axostyle. In binucleate cells a paradesmose is stretched between the two polar centers at the origin of the parabasal fibers. Anaerobic, contains hydrogenosomal granules, moves by amoeboism and phagocytoses particles such as bacteria and inhabits the intestine of humans. Dientamoeba fragilis, phase contrast. 

Calonympha are multinucleate polymastigotes parabasalid flagellates of about 70-80 µm long. The anterior part is occupied by several crown of akaryomastigonts and karyomastigonts each of which composed of four anteriorly directed flagella, a posterior axostyle and a nucleus in karyomastigonts. The posterior part contains an axostylar trunk a bundle composed of the axostyles of the karyomastigonts and wood particles. This species, Calonympha grassii, is from Neotermes jouteli. The anterior part is occupied by karyomastigonts bearing flagella and at the posterior end the protruding axostyle is typical (phase contrast). 

Calonympha are multinucleate polymastigotes parabasalid flagellates of about 70-80 µm long. The anterior part is occupied by several crown of akaryomastigonts and karyomastigonts each of which composed of four anteriorly directed flagella, a posterior axostyle and a nucleus in karyomastigonts. The posterior part contains an axostylar trunk a bundle composed of the axostyles of the karyomastigonts and wood particles. This species, Calonympha grassii, is from Neotermes jouteli. The anterior part is occupied by karyomastigonts bearing flagella and at the posterior end the protruding axostyle is typical (Giemsa staining). 

Large hypermastigid (450-500 µm) symbiont in Mastotermes darwiniensis. Body broadly triangular in shape with an anterior dome-shaped rostrum completely flagellated. Cell body covered with longitudinal rows of flagella except the amoeboid posterior part which is separated by a girdle and used for wood ingestion. The nucleus is situated in the anterior region; the axostylar fibres surround the nucleus and some group backwards to form an axial axostylar trunk.  

Large hypermastigid (450-500 µm) symbiont in Mastotermes darwiniensis. Body broadly triangular in shape with an anterior dome-shaped rostrum completely flagellated. Cell body covered with longitudinal rows of flagella except the amoeboid posterior part which is separated by a girdle and used for wood ingestion. The nucleus is situated in the anterior region; the axostylar fibres surround the nucleus and some group backwards to form an axial axostylar trunk.  

Large hypermastigid (450-500 µm) symbiont in Mastotermes darwiniensis. Body broadly triangular in shape with an anterior dome-shaped rostrum completely flagellated. Cell body covered with longitudinal rows of flagella except the amoeboid posterior part which is separated by a girdle and used for wood ingestion. The nucleus is situated in the anterior region; the axostylar fibres surround the nucleus and some group backwards to form an axial axostylar trunk. Deltotrichonympha operculata from Mastotermes darwiniensis girdle revealed by immunofluorescence. 

Large hypermastigid (450-500 µm) symbiont in Mastotermes darwiniensis. Body broadly triangular in shape with an anterior dome-shaped rostrum completely flagellated. Cell body covered with longitudinal rows of flagella except the amoeboid posterior part which is separated by a girdle and used for wood ingestion. The nucleus is situated in the anterior region; the axostylar fibres surround the nucleus and some group backwards to form an axial axostylar trunk. Deltotrichonympha operculata from Mastotermes darwiniensis axostyles revealed by immunofluorescence. 

Parabasalid flagellate with an elongated body pointed posteriorly (20-80 µm) with three anterior free flagella and a recurrent trailing flagellum forming a cord or a ribbon. Short falx-shaped cresta, parabasal body spiraled around the trunk of the axostyle in 1/2 to 5 turns, not branched. Axostyle with a posterior end enclosed in the cytoplasm. About twenty species reported in Kalotermitidae. This species, Devescovina striata, is from Neotermes castaneus, three anterior flagella, recurrent flagellum ribbon-shaped and non-adherent (phase contrast). 

Parabasalid flagellate with an elongated body pointed posteriorly (20-80 µm) with three anterior free flagella and a recurrent trailing flagellum forming a cord or a ribbon. Short falx-shaped cresta, parabasal body spiraled around the trunk of the axostyle in 1/2 to 5 turns, not branched. Axostyle with a posterior end enclosed in the cytoplasm. About twenty species reported in Kalotermitidae. This species, Devescovina striata, is from Neotermes castaneus, three anterior flagella, recurrent flagellum ribbon-shaped and non-adherent (phase contrast). 

Parabasalid flagellate with an elongated body pointed posteriorly (20-80 µm) with three anterior free flagella and a recurrent trailing flagellum forming a cord or a ribbon. Short falx-shaped cresta, parabasal body spiraled around the trunk of the axostyle in 1/2 to 5 turns, not branched. Axostyle with a posterior end enclosed in the cytoplasm. About twenty species reported in Kalotermitidae. This species, Devescovina striata, is from Neotermes castaneus, three anterior flagella, recurrent flagellum ribbon-shaped and non-adherent (phase contrast). 

Parabasalid flagellate with an elongated body pointed posteriorly (20-80 µm) with three anterior free flagella and a recurrent trailing flagellum forming a cord or a ribbon. Short falx-shaped cresta, parabasal body spiraled around the trunk of the axostyle in 1/2 to 5 turns, not branched. Axostyle with a posterior end enclosed in the cytoplasm. About twenty species reported in Kalotermitidae. Devescovina striata - immunofluorescence with an anti-tubulin antibody revealing the axostyle, three anterior flagella and one long recurrent flagellum. 

Parabasalid flagellate with an elongated body pointed posteriorly (20-80 µm) with three anterior free flagella and a recurrent trailing flagellum forming a cord or a ribbon. Short falx-shaped cresta, parabasal body spiraled around the trunk of the axostyle in 1/2 to 5 turns, not branched. Axostyle with a posterior end enclosed in the cytoplasm. About twenty species reported in Kalotermitidae. Devescovina striata - protargol staining revealing the parabasal body twisted around the axostyle.