Metanema (met-a knee, ma) a small heterophic euglenid which moves by skidding near the substrate (i.e. moving quickly but with some bit of the body or flagella making occasional contact with the substrate). Its euglenid affinities are evident through the pellicular striations and the thick flagella. The flagella look thick because, as with most euglenids, there is a supplementary element lying alongside the axoneme within the flagellum. No evident mouth. Phase contrast.
