Pentatrichomonas

Small flagellates (6-14 µm) with five anterior free flagella in normal organisms and one recurrent flagellum associated with an undulating membrane extending to the posterior end; free posterior recurrent flagellum. One of the anterior flagella originates independently from others. Costa and axostyle well developed, parabasal apparatus rather small. Ultrastructure study has confirmed the trichomonad features and that the basal body of the independent anterior flagellum is oriented opposite to the basal body of the recurrent flagellum. The UM is of the lamellar type and the costa has the B-pattern of striation. The only species described is P. hominis which lives in the intestine of humans and in other mammals µmonkeys, cats, dogs, rats) and possibly in birds; it is not a pathogen (Wenrich, 1944c, Kirby, 1945a). Diagnosis by Honigberg (1963), ultrastructural study by Honigberg et al. (1968), Brugerolle (1975-76), and Honigberg and Brugerolle (1990). Type species: Pentatrichomonas hominis (Davaine, 1860) .