Chapter 16 

 Order 4 Hypermastigina Grassi 



ALL members of this order are inhabitants of the aUmentary 

 canal of termites, cockroaches, and woodroaches. The cyto- 

 plasmic organization is of high complexity, although there is only 

 a single nucleus. Flagella are numerous and have their origin in the 

 blepharoplasts located in the anterior region of body. In many spe- 

 cies, there exists a true symbiotic relationship between the host 

 termite and the protozoans (p. 25). Method of nutrition is either 

 holozoic or saprozoic (parasitic). Bits of wood, starch grains, and 

 other food material are taken in by means of pseudopodia. 



Asexual reproduction is by longitudinal fission; multiple division 

 has also been noted in some species under certain conditions, while 

 sexual reproduction has not been observed. Encystment occurs in 

 some genera of Lophomonadidae and certain species inhabiting 

 woodroaches, in which moulting of the host insect leads to encyst- 

 ment. Because of the peculiarity and complexity of their structures 

 and also of their common occurrence in termites, the Hypermastigina 

 have been frequently studied. 



Body without segmented appearance 



Flagella in spiral rows Family 1 Holomastigotidae 



Flagella not arranged in spiral rows 

 Flagella in one or more anterior tufts 



1 tuft of flagella Family 2 Lophomonadidae (p. 320) 



2 tufts of flagella Family 3 Hoplonymphidae (p. 322) 



4 tufts of flagella Family 4 Staurojoeninidae (p. 324) 



Several tufts (loriculae) Family 5 Kofoidiidae (p. 324) 



Flagella not arranged in tufts 



Posterior part without flagella 



Family 6 Trichonymphidae (p. 324) 



Flagella over entire body.. .Family 7 Eucomonymphidae (p. 326) 

 Body with segmented appearance. .Family 8 Teratonymphidae (p. 326) 



Family 1 Holomastigotidae Janicki 



Genus Holomastigotes Grassi. Body small; spindle-shaped; few 

 spiral rows reach from anterior to posterior end; nucleus anterior, 

 surrounded by a mass of dense cytoplasm; nutrition by absorption 

 of fluid material; in termite gut. 



H. elongatum G. (Fig. 150. a). In gut of Reticulitermes lucifugus, 

 R. speratus, R. flaviceps, and Macrohodotermes massamhicus; up to 

 70m by 24m (Grassi). 



318 



