6533b7d6fe1ef96bd1266e0d

RESEARCH PRODUCT

The flagellates of the termite Hodotermopsis sjoestedti with special reference to Hoplonympha, Holomastigotes and Trichomonoides trypanoides n. comb.

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Abstract The termite Hodotermopsis sjoestedti harbours a symbiotic fauna of protists comprising at least 11 genera and a much larger number of species. Two oxymonad genera, Pyrsonympha and Dinenympha, are mixed with nine parabasalid genera, two trichomonads, Trichomitopsis termopsidis and Trichomonoides trypanoides n. comb., four spirotrichonymphid genera/species: Spirotrichonympha, Microjoenia, Holomastigotes lanceolata n. sp., Holomastigotes elongatum and three trichonymphid genera/species; Hoplonympha natator, Eucomonympha, Trichonympha. Hoplonympha natator has two anterior symmetrical bundles of ∼60 basal bodies/flagella separated by two parabasal plates. The cell surface is crenelated and covered by Fusiformis bacteria which adhere by a thin ridge of cell-coat. Phagocytosis and digestion of Fusiformis appear likely from electron microscopy observations. Holomastigotes lanceolata has five dexiotropic flagellar lines in the anterior part and only two in the posterior part, one striated root attached to the proximal section of the basal bodies, a striated lamina and a complete axostyle. Trichomonoides trypanoides corresponds to Trichomonas trypanoides Duboscq and Grasse, 1924; it has four anterior flagella and an enlarged recurrent flagellum which is similar to that of Pentatrichomonoides scroa. These results are in agreement with the molecular phylogeny study of Hodotermopsis sjoestedti flagellates by Ohkuma et al. (J. Eukaryot. Microbiol. 47 (2000) 249) who found a small subunit ribosomal RNA sequence HsL8 grouping with that of Pentatrichomonoides scroa.