Metamonada

Carpediemonas (carp-ee-dee-a-moan-ass) bialata (Ruinen, 1938) Lee and Patterson, 2000. Cell outline is kidney-shaped. Cells are 6 to 14 microns long (mostly 9 to 12 microns), not rigid, and with a longitudinal ventral groove. A membrane moves down along the groove every 4 - 6 seconds. Two flagella emerge from the anterior part of the cell, the anterior flagellum bends backwards, is about the length of the cell and beats over the cell with a slow sweeping motion. The acronematic posterior flagellum beats asymmetrically and is about 1.5 times cell length. The posterior flagellum may vibrate actively in the groove when not beating. The cells consume bacteria up to 5 microns, and food materials are transferred by the moving membrane to the back of the cell. The cells may have many food vacuoles and attach to the substrate with the tip of the posterior flagellum. The cells move slowly by skidding or gliding with the anterior flagellum beating with a flicking motion. Commonly observed in late cultures.

Carpediemonas bialata (Ruinen, 1938) Lee and Patterson, 2000. Cell outline is kidney-shaped. Cells are 6 to 14 microns long, not rigid, and with a longitudinal ventral groove. A membrane moves down along the groove every 4 - 6 seconds. Two flagella emerge from the anterior part of the cell, the anterior flagellum bends backwards, is about the length of the cell and beats over the cell with a slow sweeping motion. The acronematic posterior flagellum beats asymmetrically and is about 1.5 times cell length. The posterior flagellum may vibrate actively in the groove when not beating. The cells consume bacteria up to 5 microns long, and food materials are transferred by the moving membrane to the back of the cell. The cells may have many food vacuoles and attach to the substrate with the tip of the posterior flagellum. The cells move slowly by skidding or gliding with the anterior flagellum beating with a flicking motion.

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 foetus parasitic from uro-genital tract of the cattle (cows). It has three anterior flagella, a recurrent flagellum forming an undulating membrane with a free posterior part, a thick axostyle (immunofluorescence). 

Section of the "rail-type" undulating membrane by transmission EM.

Monocercomonoides are small oval to pyriform oxymonad flagellates (5-15 µm) with four flagella separated in two pairs, one trailing flagellum. Anterior large nucleus capped with a pelta. The axostyle originates from a preaxostyle stretched between the two pairs of flagellar base, it traverses the cell and protrudes posteriorly. A thin fiber or funis follows the adhering zone of the recurrent flagellum. Phagocytoses wood particles and bacteria. Occurs as endocommensal in vertebrates and invertebrates gut such as rumen, caecum of rodents, gut of termites, larvae of xylophagous insects. This species (uniddentified) from Porotermes adamsoni (phase contrast).

Monocercomonoides are small oval to pyriform oxymonad flagellates (5-15 µm) with four flagella separated in two pairs, one trailing flagellum. Anterior large nucleus capped with a pelta. The axostyle originates from a preaxostyle stretched between the two pairs of flagellar base, it traverses the cell and protrudes posteriorly. A thin fiber or funis follows the adhering zone of the recurrent flagellum. Phagocytoses wood particles and bacteria. Occurs as endocommensal in vertebrates and invertebrates gut such as rumen, caecum of rodents, gut of termites, larvae of xylophagous insects. This species (uniddentified) from the gut of the cockroach Paraspheria boleiriana from Brazil (interference contrast). 

Monocercomonoides are small oval to pyriform oxymonad flagellates (5-15 µm) with four flagella separated in two pairs, one trailing flagellum. Anterior large nucleus capped with a pelta. The axostyle originates from a preaxostyle stretched between the two pairs of flagellar base, it traverses the cell and protrudes posteriorly. A thin fiber or funis follows the adhering zone of the recurrent flagellum. Phagocytoses wood particles and bacteria. Occurs as endocommensal in vertebrates and invertebrates gut such as rumen, caecum of rodents, gut of termites, larvae of xylophagous insects. This species (unidentified) from from Porotermes adamsoni (phase contrast). 

Monocercomonoides are small oval to pyriform oxymonad flagellates (5-15 µm) with four flagella separated in two pairs, one trailing flagellum. Anterior large nucleus capped with a pelta. The axostyle originates from a preaxostyle stretched between the two pairs of flagellar base, it traverses the cell and protrudes posteriorly. A thin fiber or funis follows the adhering zone of the recurrent flagellum. Phagocytoses wood particles and bacteria. Occurs as endocommensal in vertebrates and invertebrates gut such as rumen, caecum of rodents, gut of termites, larvae of xylophagous insects. This species (unidentified) from from Porotermes adamsoni (phase contrast). 

Saccinobaculus (sax-in-o-back-you-lus) (snake-in-a-sack) is a highly active oxymonad flagellate in which the massive contractile axostyle inside the cell seems to have a life of its own. Axostyle curves around the nucleus before extending the length of the cell. Four flagella emerging from anterior right corner. Endobiotic in the gut of the wood-eating cockroach, Cryptocercus. Differential interference contrast.

Saccinobaculus (sax-in-o-back-you-lus) (snake-in-a-sack) is a highly active oxymonad flagellate in which the massive contractile axostyle inside the cell seems to have a life of its own. Axostyle curves around the anterior nucleus before extending the length of the cell and projecting from the back of the cell. Endobiotic in the gut of the wood-eating cockroach, Cryptocercus. Phase contrast.

Saccinobaculus (sax-in-o-back-you-lus) (snake-in-a-sack) is a highly active oxymonad flagellate in which the massive contractile axostyle inside the cell seems to have a life of its own. Axostyle curves around the anterior nucleus before extending the length of the cell and projecting from the back of the cell. Four flagella emerging from anterior right corner. Endobiotic in the gut of the wood-eating cockroach, Cryptocercus. Phase contrast.

Pyrsonympha (pierce-o-nymph-a) is an oxymonad flagellate, a group found as endobionts within termites etc. This one came from Reticulotermes. Pyrsonympha may or may not have an anterior holdfast as can be seen here, four - eight flagella, typically adhering to the cell surface. With an axostyle which may or may not emerge from the end of the cell (not here). Not all cells have the associated epibiotic bacteria. Differential interference contrast.

Pyrsonympha (pierce-o-nymph-a) is an oxymonad flagellate, a group found as endobionts within termites etc. This one came from Reticulotermes. Pyrsonympha may or may not have an anterior holdfast, four - eight flagella, typically adhering to the cell surface, but as evident here, not always adhering. With an axostyle, seen here as a dark curving internal structure, which may or may not emerge from the end of the cell (not here). They may or may not have associated epibiotic bacteria, not here. Phase contrast.

Pyrsonympha (pierce-o-nymph-a) is an oxymonad flagellate, a group found as endobionts within termites etc. This one came from Reticulotermes. Pyrsonympha may or may not have an anterior holdfast, four - eight flagella, typically adhering to the cell surface. With an axostyle which may or may not emerge from the end of the cell (not here). They may or may not have associated epibiotic bacteria, not here. Differential interference contrast.

Pyrsonympha (pierce-o-nymph-a) is an oxymonad flagellate, a group found as endobionts within termites etc. This one came from Reticulotermes. Pyrsonympha may or may not have an anterior holdfast, four - eight flagella, typically adhering to the cell surface. With an axostyle which may or may not emerge from the end of the cell (not here). They may or may not have associated epibiotic bacteria, not here. Differential interference contrast.

Pyrsonympha (pierce-o-nymph-a) is an oxymonad flagellate, a group found as endobionts within termites etc. This one came from Reticulotermes. Pyrsonympha may or may not have an anterior holdfast, four - eight flagella, typically adhering to the cell surface. With an axostyle which may or may not emerge from the end of the cell . They may or may not have associated epibiotic bacteria, as here. Phase contrast.

Pyrsonympha (pierce-o-nymph-a) is an oxymonad flagellate, a group found as endobionts within termites etc. This one came from Reticulotermes. Pyrsonympha may or may not have an anterior holdfast, four - eight flagella, typically adhering to the cell surface, but as evident here, not always adhering. With an axostyle, seen here as a dark internal structure passing over the round anterior nucleus. They may or may not have associated epibiotic bacteria. Phase contrast.

Streblomastix (streb-low-mast-icks) is a long rod-shaped or filamentous oxymonad flagellate. Usually about 20-50 microns long, but may extend to several hundred microns. The body surface is carved in deep spiral ridges (4 to 8) and covered with long rod shaped epibiotic bacteria. The 4 flagella are inserted subapically at the base of a holdfast and do not adhere to the cell body. The holdfast develops in cells attached to the intestinal wall. They probably feed by pinocytosis. Streblomastix strix Kofoid & Swezy 1919 is the only named species. From the termite Zootermopsis, supplied by Wards Natural Science Establishment, Rochester, New York, USA. Phase contrast.