THE PARASITES OF THE TERMITES. 429 



TRICHONYMPHA. 



trix, bail ; nympha, nymph. 

 Trichonympha agilis. Plate 51. 



Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, ISYY, p. 14:1. 



The most conspicuous and extraordinary of the parasites of our Termite is 

 one to which I have given the above name. It is with some regret that I am 

 obliged to confess that notwithstanding all my scrutiny I have been unable to 

 determine the characters of this singular creature sufficiently to learn whether to 

 regard it as a ciliate infusorian, a gregarine, or a rhabdocoelus turbellarian. I am, 

 however, disposed to view it as the former, or rather as of intermediate character 

 to the two former. 



Commonly in the extended condition Trichonympha is about -g^o^th of an inch 

 long, and about half the breadth of the length. In shape it resembles a gregarine; 

 and it is clothed with cils of extraordinary length. (See Figs. 1-10.) When 

 it first escapes from the intestine and is diffused on the object glass of the micro- 

 scope it usually appears more or less distorted, and may be contracted to such a 

 degree that the breadth exceeds the length, as represented in Figs. 1-3. By 

 reflected light it appears white, and it is translucent. 



Trichonympha presents a slight constriction at or a little in advance of the 

 middle, so as to appear to consist of two portions, which with the general form 

 give it very much the appearance of a gregarine. For convenience of description 

 the two parts may be distinguished as head and body. (See Figs. 5-10.) 



The head is conical, and usually appears shorter than the body, but is variable 

 in this respect, depending on the degree of extension of the latter and the con- 

 traction of the former, or its depression within the body. Its apex is more or less 

 produced as a mammillary eminence, which seems to be the chief if not the sole 

 source of origin of the extraordinary long cils that extend backward and invest 

 the animal as with a cloak. 



The body is broader or more robust than the head, and of variable propor- 

 tionate length, according as it is shortened by contraction or elongated by exten- 

 sion. It is conical, oval, cordiform, or more or less abruptly tapering according 

 to the changes it undergoes in movement. The posterior extremity is obtusely 

 rounded, or may become more or less subacute, or it may appear abruptly trun- 

 cated. (See Figs. 1-10.) 



In the fresh and most active condition of Trichonympha during its movements 

 the head and body frequently vary in their relative proportions according to the 

 degree of their contraction, shortening, and elongating. The head alternately 



111 



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