Lophomonadidae

Small devescovinids (30 µm) with three anterior flagella and a long cord-like recurrent flagellum (60 µm). Small cresta; axostyle projecting out of the body. Comma-shaped parabasal apparatus inserted in the concavity of the nucleus, which has an open ring shape. The only species, A. platycaryon, occurs in the gut of Cryptotermes lamanianus (GrassÚ and Hollande, 1950, GrassÚ, 1952a). Type species: Achemon playcaryon GrassÚ & Hollande, 1950.

Large devescovinids (50-138 µm) with three anterior flagella and a recurrent flagellum cord-like in its middle part and shorter than the body. Cresta relatively long. Parabasal apparatus with a U-shaped proximal part on the nucleus and a distal part turned around the axostylar trunk (0.5-3.5 times). Capitulum and trunk of the axostyle slender, tapering gradually with the end enclosed in the cytoplasm. One species described: B. silvestrii occurring in Neotermes erythraeus (Kirby 1949a). No EM study. Type species: Bullanympha sylvestrii Kirby, 1938.

Multinucleated trichomonad flagellates having a permanent polymonad organization. The cell is composed of several karyomastigonts, each comprising 2-4 flagella, an axostyle-pelta complex, a parabasal, one nucleus, sometimes 2 or 3. The presence of a thick recurrent flagellum and a cresta in some of them indicates that they have probably evolved from devescovinids by multiplication of the karyomastigonts. All are xylophagous and bacterivorous symbionts in the gut of termites of the family Kalotermitidae. Six genera described showing a progressive integration of the karyomastigonts: Coronympha, Metacoronympha, Stephanonympha, Diplonympha, Calonympha, and Snyderella.

Flagellates with an elongated body pointed posteriorly (20-80 µm) with three anterior free flagella and a recurrent trailing one forming a slender cord or ribbon. Short falx-shaped cresta; parabasal body spiraled around the trunk of the axostyle in 1/2 to 5 turns, not branched. Axostyle tapering posteriorly with end enclosed in the cytoplasm. Electron microscopy has shown the trichomonad features and the structure of the recurrent flagellum containing an axoneme associated with many microfibrils. The cresta is a microfibrillar structure which develops under the membrane along the adhesive portion of the recurrent flagellum as in Foaina. The axostyle is composed of an inrolled sheet of microtubules. Among the 20 species reported in Kalotermitidae, D. striata lives in Cryptotermes brevis (Kirby, 1941, GrassÚ, 1952a). Electron microscopy in Mignot et al. (1969), Joyon et al. (1969), and Brugerolle (1975-76). Type species: Devescovina striata Foa, 1905.

Trichomonad flagellates with three free anterior flagella and a thick cord-like or ribbon-like recurrent flagellum. The recurrent flagellum adheres to the cell body along a variable length which is underlain by a cresta. There is no real undulating membrane. The pelta-axostyle complex is well developed. The parabasal apparatus is rodlike or branched or inrolled around the axostyle and these differences are used to distinguish the genera and species. All species occur in the termite gut and are xylophagous or bacterivorous. Two subfamilies: Devescovininae and Gigantomonadinae.

Multinucleated cells composed of several karyomastigonts, each comprising two flagella in Grassi's representation, an axostyle and generally 1-3 accompanying nuclei. Axostyles form a central bundle not protruding at the rear. The one species, D. foae, lives in Glyptotermes parvulus and was found again by GrassÚ in G. bookoko in West and Central Africa. Studied by light microscopy (Grassi, 1917 and GrassÚ, 1952a). No EM study. Type species: Diplonympha foae Grassi, 1917.

Devescovinid (50-70 µm) with three short anterior flagella and a thick recurrent one shorter than the body and non-adherent. Small cresta. Comb-like parabasal apparatus typically forming several branches or parabasalies around the nucleus. Axostyle stout, passing in the concavity of the flattened nucleus, no posterior projection. Three species, E. punctata, E. ramosa, and E. brevirostris described from Neotermes aburiensis (GrassÚ and Hollande, 1950; GrassÚ, 1952a), were also described under the name Pseudodevescovina punctata and P. ramosa by Kirby (1945b). Type species: Evemonia punctata (Kirby, 1945).

Large devescovinids (33-139 µm) with three short anterior flagella and a trailing one slightly thicker than normal, generally shorter than the body. Cresta very small, equilateral in shape, typically excavated posteriorly. Parabasal body without longitudinal part, turned in helix around the axostyle (2-19 turns). Capitulum of the axostyle extended in a cape; trunk of the axostyle stout in anterior part with a variable-lengthed slender posterior projection. The eight species reported occur in Kalotermitidae of the Australian region, e.g. H. calotermitis from Kalotermes (formerly Proglyptotermes) brouni (Kirby, 1949a), reported in GrassÚ, 1952a). No EM study. Type species: Hyperdevescovina calotermitis (Nurse, 1945).

Devescovinids with a body enclosing one or several karyomastigonts, free or fixed to the gut of the termite. The flagellated forms (50-70 µm) have three anterior flagella and a thick recurrent one shorter than the body. The cresta is short and the slender axostyle protrudes posteriorly. The parabasal is divided into several branches or parabasalies around the nucleus. Polymastigote cells of K. pectinata, comprising up to 70 karyomastigonts and 30 akaryomastigonts, with flagella at one pole and axostyles grouped at the opposite pole, are found swimming free in the intestinal fluid (GrassÚ and Hollande, 1951a). The fixed forms (250 µm) with one karyomastigont and internal flagella are attached by their posterior end to the gut of the termite. They can detach and acquire external flagella. In K. pulchra, large plasmodia containing many karyomastigonts (300) with regressed flagella are also fixed by a kind of stalk to the gut. Three species occur in Hodotermitidae: K. pectinata in Microhodotermes wasmanni and Anacanthotermes ochraceus, K. pulchra in Anacanthotermes ochraceus of North Africa, and K. dogieli in A. murgabicus (GrassÚ and Hollande, 1951a, GrassÚ, 1952a). No EM study. Type species: Kirbynia dogieli (Bernstein, 1928).

Hypermastigid flagellates with one flagellar area comprising four privileged basal bodies, numerous secondary basal bodies; one axostyle; two or more parabasal fibres dividing into several parbasalies. Flagellar area resorbed at the division.

Moderately sized devescovinids (29-50 µm) with a cell body rounded anteriorly with three long anterior flagella and a recurrent one, cord-like, slightly longer than the body. Moderate sized cresta; parabasal highly developed consisting of a long, slanting main part and one or more rami. Stout axostyle with a short pointed posterior projection and a leaf-like capitulum; anterior and posterior spirochetes. Only one species, Parajoenia grassii Janicki, 1911 from Neotermes connexus from Hawaii (Kirby, 1942b). No EM study. .

Devescovinid with a long and slender body (30-37 µm) bearing three long anterior flagella and a recurrent one longer than the body. Anterior papilla associated with the proximal part of the flagella. Short, narrow cresta; slender axostyle not protruding posteriorly. Parabasal inrolled around the axostylar trunk (1 turn). Fusiformis and spirochetes on the surface. Aflagellate forms with the nucleus and the mastigont system situated in the mid length of the body, mostly occurring in winged termites. One species, P. elongata, lives in Anacanthotermes murgabicus and A. ochraceus (GrassÚ and Hollande, 1951; GrassÚ, 1952a) and was described under the name Devescovina elongata in Bernstein, (1928). No EM study. Type species: Polymastigoides elongata (Bernstein, 1928).

Relatively large devescovinids (40-140 µm) with three short anterior flagella and a trailing flagellum slightly thicker than normal, shorter than the body. Cresta well developed. Parabasal apparatus L-shaped supporting 7-19 appended parabasals not coiled around the axostyle. Axostyle is stout with a posterior projection and a large capitulum. One species, P. uniflagellata, from Neotermes insularis. Description in Sutherland (1933), Kirby (1945b), and GrassÚ (1952a). No EM study. Type species: Pseudodevescovina uniflagellata Sutherland 1933.

Multinucleate cells (70-130 µm) composed of numerous karyomastigonts with four flagella (sometimes reduced to as few as two flagella) concentrated at the apex in a complex spiral. Axostyles forming a central bundle not protruding at the rear. This genus is very close to Metacoronympha. Among the 12 species reported by Janicki (1915), S. silvestrii lives in Neotermes connexus (Honolulu), Cryptotermes havilandi (Nigeria), and Neotermes erythraeus (East Africa). Another description for S. nelumbium in Cryptotermes domesticus (formerly hermsi) was given by Kirby (1926). Light microscopic studies by Janicki (1915) and GrassÚ (1952a). EM study in Lavette, 1971b. Type species: Stephanonympha silvestrii Janicki 1911.