Chapter 16 

 Order 4 Hypermastigina Grassi and Foa 



ALL members of this order are inhabitants of the alimentary 

 . 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 which are xylophagous, there exists a true symbiotic relationship 

 between the host termite and the protozoans (p. 29). 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 (p. 99). 



Asexual reproduction is by binary fission; multiple division has 

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

 reproduction has been observed in a few species. Encystment occurs 

 in some genera of Lophomonadidae and certain species inhabiting 

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

 ment and sexual reproduction. The protozoan fauna of the colon is 

 lost at the time of molting of the host insect, but newly molted indi- 

 viduals regain the fauna by proctodeal feeding (Andrews, 1930). 



The number of Protozoa present in the colon of the termite is 

 usually very enormous. The total weight of all Protozoa present in a 

 termite worker has been estimated to be from about 1/7-1/4 (Hun- 

 gate, 1939) or 1/3 (Katzin and Kirby, 1939) to as much as 1/2 

 (Cleveland, 1925) of the body weight of the host. The correlation- 

 ship between the termite and its intestinal flagellate fauna, has been 

 studied by several observers. Kirby (1937) notes that certain groups 

 of flagellates occur only in certain groups of termites, while others 

 are widely distributed. Flagellates of one host termite introduced 

 into individuals of another species survive for a limited time only 

 (Light and Sanford, 1928; Cleveland, Hall et al., 1934; Dropkin, 

 1941, 1940). Taxonomy (Koidzumi, 1921; Kirby, 1920; Bernstein, 

 1928). 



Body without segmented appearance 



Flagella in spiral rows Family 1 Holomastigotidae (p. 405) 



Flagella not arranged in spiral rows 

 Flagella in one or more anterior tufts 



1 tuft of flagella Family 2 Lophomonadidae (p. 407) 



2 tufts of flagella Family 3 Hoplonymphidae (p. 410) 



4 tufts of flagella Family 4 Staurojoeninidae (p. 412) 



Several tufts (loriculae) Family 5 Kofoidiidae (p. 412) 



404 



