Description of Tetratrichomonas
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Flagellate of small size (10-15 µm) with four free anterior flagella and a recurrent one associated with an undulating membrane extending along the entire length of the body; free recurrent posterior flagellum. Costa well developed and axostyle protruding posteriorly; disc- or V-shaped parabasal. Ultrastructure studies have shown the Trichomonas features and the lamellar-type of the UM and the B-type pattern of the costa. Among the 10 species described, one, T. limacis, occurs in limacine molluscs (Kozlov, 1945); T. prowazeki occurs in fishes, amphibians, and squamate reptiles (Alexeieff, 1910, Honigberg, 1951); T. gallinarum in fowl µmcDowell, 1953); T. guttula in rodents (Kirby and Honigberg, 1950); and T. buttreyi in swine (Hibber et al., 1960). Diagnosis in Honigberg (1963); electron microscopy (Saleudin, 1971, Brugerolle, 1975-76). Type species: Tetratrichomonas prowazeki (Alexeieff, 1909).
