290 



BIOLOGY OF THE PROTOZOA 



(see p. 193). Food-taking at the posterior end of the body through 

 the activity of pseiidopodia-hke processes has been described by 



Swezy (1923), and at the anterior 

 end of the body by a process 

 similar to the method described 

 by Rhumbler for Amoeba, as 

 invagination (Cleveland, 1925). 

 The food substances are larger or 

 smaller fragments of wood, imply- 

 ing the activity of exceptional amy- 

 lolytic digestive ferments (cellu- 

 lase). The products of digestion 

 are glycogens which are used as 

 nutriment by the termites. Ter- 

 mites deprived of these flagellates 

 die, and if the wood diet of the 

 Termites is stopped the flagellates 

 die (Cleveland). 



The general covering of flagella 

 has led to the inclusion of these 

 flagellates with the Infusoria. 

 The organization, however, has 

 nothing in common with that of 

 the Ciliata; they are uninucleate 

 and their kinetic complex is homo- 

 logous with nothing in the ciliate 

 cell, but is best interpreted as a 

 special de^'elopment of the flagel- 

 late tj-pe of kinetic apparatus. 

 This, in a t\T3ical case, consists 

 of a conspicuous mass of substance 

 deeply staining with hematoxylin, 

 which forms the center of a radi- 

 ating system of fibrils (rhizoplasts) 

 running to the cortex in various 

 parts of the cell where they end in 

 basal bodies which gi^'e rise to 

 long flagella. The central mass of 

 this system is termed a centroble- 

 pharoplast by Kofoid because of 

 its function in cell division (Fig. 

 51, p. 100). At this time it 

 becomes a huge centrosome which 

 divides to form an amphiaster 

 with central spindle fibers and 

 Fig. U2.—Teraionympha viiraUiis, astral ra^'s formed bv the con- 

 one of the Hvpermastigidae. (After . | . , . i "^-i . i 



Koidzumi.) vergmg rhizoplasts while the cen- 



