22 University of California Publications in Zoology [Vol. 20 



In the following year the more highly specialized and intimately 

 integrated fibrillar apparatus of the binucleate diplozooic Glardia 

 was definitely designated (Kofoid and Christiansen, 1916) as the 

 neuromotor apparatus. In a paper read before the Second Pan- ' 

 American Scientific Congress at Washington, January 7, 1916, the 

 senior author extended the neuromotor conception to the flagellates 

 generally to include the centrosome-blepharoplast and its external and 

 internal fibrillar derivatives and connections under the name of the 

 neuromotor apparatus. 



It is the purpose of this paper to describe the neuromotor appa- 

 ratus or system of one of the simpler trichomonads in which there is no 

 axostyle but in which there occurs in response to the parasitic habit 

 an exceptionally massive development and structural continuity of 

 the several elements of this coordinating organ system. The organism 

 also presents a prophetic prolongation of the period of existence of 

 the paradesmose and of the incipient stage of mitosis, — featiu'es which 

 are strongly suggestive of a tendency which, if continued, might well 

 culminate in the evolution of the diplozooic flagellates, such as 

 Giardia. The potency of the biochemical environment of jjarasites 

 in bringing to expression latent possibilities of the organization of 

 the living substance is once again demonstrated in this flagellate of 

 those extraordinarily parasitized insects, the termites. 



OCCURRENCE 



This flagellate has been found abundantly in Termopsis angusti- 

 collis Walk., a large termite commonly found in decayed oak trees 

 on the University campus. The flagellate infests the posterior and 

 midregions of the intestinal tract of the termite with only a slight 

 infection or none at all of the anterior region. It is found in the 

 lumen of the canal with no attachment to the wall. Associated with it 

 is a large Trichonympha, and in cross-section of the entire intestinal 

 tract it is found that these two flagellates, with the latter usually 

 predominating, completely fill the lumen of the canal. 



Almost every individual of this species of termite which has been 

 examined has been found to harbor these flagellates. The number 

 in a single host may vary greatly as it or the trichonymph may be 

 the dominant form. In some instances the latter species may be rare 

 with Trichomitus termitidis present in vast quantities. These are 

 sporadic cases, however, with no indications of a rhythmical cycle 



