258 
Intestinal Protozoa in Termites 
margin of the bell and the posterior end. The winding of the spiral rows is 
left-handed (laeotropic) 1 . The outer surface of the body wall seems to be 
destitute of any specially differentiated membrane. 
The endoplasm appears minutely granular and no alveolar structure is 
recognizable. Beneath the body wall, a zone of coarse and deeply stainable 
granules, as seen in Trichonympha, is recognizable. A thin but distinct zone 
of clear and structureless substance between the basal layer of the body wall 
and this layer of granules is also present in both the anterior and posterior 
regions. 
The organism seems to be voracious, and contains a greater or less abund¬ 
ance of food debris, consisting chiefly of wood fragments. The food bodies 
are commonly limited to the portion posterior to the nucleus, but they may 
be found very rarely in the region between the nucleus and the anterior end. 
The nucleus is found usually a little anterior to the middle of the body, 
though sometimes situated far posteriorly, and there is no structure, such as 
a corbule, connecting it with the body wall. It is round in shape, measuring 
16-20 p, in diameter. Its wall is peculiar in this form, appearing very thick 
and abnormally tough. In fresh specimens the wall is markedly refractive, 
and the internal structure is not visible. In the majority of cases the contour 
is not even, and a wide groove or distinct folds may be commonly found 
running over the surface (PI. XI, fig. 14). This peculiarity of the nuclear wall can 
be seen clearly in living specimens. The inner structure of the nucleus differs 
somewhat from that described by Hartmann and Grassi. It consists of a 
network of chromatic threads and clear ground substance. In some individuals 
the network is loose, while in others it is rather dense, presenting a spongy 
appearance. It is a peculiarity of this species that the network forms a more 
or less smooth and distinctly contoured mass, leaving a space under the 
nuclear wall (PI. XI, figs. 14 and 17). 
Dividing forms are frequently met with in this species. The process of 
nuclear division is peculiar, and different from that of the preceding genus. 
At the first stage in division, a peculiar structure makes its appearance at the 
anterior region, as is shown in PI. XI, fig. 18. It is a thread hanging in the endo¬ 
plasm, bent at several points, and provided with a small sphere at its free end. 
The opposite end of the thread could not be made out, because of the feebly 
stainable character of the thread and owing to the dense zone of granules 
distributed under the wall of the bell. However, it cannot be doubted from 
its behaviour that it is connected with the base of the axis of the nipple. The 
sphere and the thread stain more or less faintly with iron-haematoxylin. The 
sphere probably approaches the nucleus rapidly, until it comes to lie on its 
surface, and the thread then appears as a straight or slightly wavy line. 
1 The direction of the spiral rows of flagella, in all of the other accompanying forms found 
in the intestine of Coptotermes formosanus, is just the reverse of that in this form, namely right- 
handed (dexiotropic). In Hartmann’s figure of his “male” form the rows are drawn as left- 
handed spirals, while those of his “female” forms ( Holomastigotoides ) are shown partly as 
left-handed and partly as right-handed. 
