Description of Metromonas grandis
provided by BioPedia
Cell outline is leaf shaped or slightly roundish. Cells are 5 to 11 microns long (mostly 7 to 10 microns), 4 to 10 microns wide, about 2 microns deep and dorso-ventrally flattened. One side of the cell appears folded. The cells have two flagella; a long flagellum is 1.2 to 2.5 times the length of the cell and trails behind the cell when gliding. There is a short inactive flagellum, less than 2 microns long, which inserts to the right of the major flagellum and is always present. The cells attach to the substratum with the longer flagellum and move with a nodding action - like a pendulum. The nucleus is near the flagellar insertion.
