310 FAMILY: MONADID^ 



were fed on the cultures. When examined jpost morteyn one to five days 

 later, no amoebae or flagellates could be found in the intestine, but cysts 

 were present. Culture from the intestinal contents again gave cultures 

 of amoebae and flagellates. It is evident that the flagellate and the 

 amoeba are coprozoic, and that they represent different phases of develop- 

 ment of one organism. The flagellate phase as figured by Bunting has a 

 striking resemblance to Cojjrotnastix jrvowazeki. It is possible that these 

 organisms are related to Dimastigamceha, which also has both a flagellate 

 and an amoeboid phase (see p. 262). 



Fonseca (1916) created the genus Chilo7nitus for a flagellate of the 

 caecum of the guinea-pig {Cavia porcellus and C. a/perea) in Brazil. It is 

 said to vary in size between two extremes. The large form is 12 to 17 

 microns in length by 4 microns in breadth, and the small one 8 to 10 microns 

 in length by 4 to 5 microns in breadth (Fig. 147). The anterior end is 

 rounded and the posterior end tapering, while the body itself is very rigid 

 owing to a well-developed ectoplasmic layer. There are four anterior 

 flagella which arise from a blepharoplast and a cytostome which is much 

 shorter than that of Chilomastix. There is no flagellum within the cyto- 

 stome. The nucleus near the flagellar origin is not vesicular, and appears 

 to consist of a mass of granules. The margins of the cytostome are not 

 stiffened by marginal filaments as in Chilomastix. 



Lavier informs the writer that he has seen this flagellate, which was 

 named Chilomitus cavics by Fonseca, in the rodent Viscacia viscacia of 

 the Argentine. In addition to the structures noted by Fonseca he has 

 seen an axial fibre passing longitudinally through the body. 



Chalmers and Pekkola (1918) created the genus Protetramitus for a 

 flagellate which was described as having a spherical body and four flagella 

 arising from blepharoplasts, near which was the single nucleus. The 

 flagellate Protetramitus testudinis was found in the tortoise {Testudo 

 calcarata). The writer has examined the films, and finds that, in addition to 

 Entamoeba testudinis and Balantidium testudinis, a number of flagellates are 

 present — Hexafnita, Trichomonas, Eutrichomastix — and a large organism 

 with a single flagellum which appears to belong to the genus Oikomonas. 

 Unfortunately, owing to faulty technique, the majority of the organisms 

 are imperfectly fixed, and many have actually dried in the film. The 

 result is that many of the Trichomonas and Eulrichimastix have become 

 rounded, while the axostyles, supporting filament and undulating mem- 

 brane, are not visible. It is easy, however, to trace every degree of this 

 change between the flagellates which were named Protetramitus by 

 Chalmers and Pekkola and the typical Trichomonas and Eutrichomastix. 

 The flagellate named Protetramitus testudinis is thus nothing more than a 

 rounded and altered Trichomonas or Eutrichomastix. 



