268 
Intestinal Protozoa in Termites 
imaginable. Their independence cannot be doubted also from the fact that 
the present form is found accompanied by Trichonympha in the Formosan 
termites only: in the termites of Japan proper, Trichonym'pha does not 
accompany any form of this type. It is possible that some of the forms 
described by Hartmann (1910) as young stages of Trichonympha also belong 
to this genus, or to Spirotrichonympha of Grassi; but frcm Hartmann’s 
description and figures of the anterior end of his organisms, it is impossible 
to identify them with certainty. In my former paper (1917) in Japanese, 
I referred this organism to the new genus Spironympha. Grassi (1911), how¬ 
ever, had previously proposed Spirotrichonympha for a different form; and 
therefore, as my name was merely an abbreviation of the same name, in order 
to avoid confusion I now propose to call the present form Microspironympha. 
Microspironympha porteri gen. nov. et spec. nov. (Plate XIII, figs. 32-38). 
This form is somewhat variable in shape, but commonly fusiform, the 
length being about twice the breadth. The anterior half of the body is pro¬ 
vided with a fairly rigid periplast, and displays little alteration of shape, 
being usually in the form of a tall cone. The posterior half, on the other hand, 
is variable in shape. It is rounded in some forms (PI. XIII, fig. 33), w T hile in 
others it is prolonged and pointed at the end, giving a spindle-like appearance 
to the body. In some forms, the posterior end is drawn out into a slender 
tail-like appendage, variable both in shape and in size. When carefully 
studied, a slender rod, resembling the axostyle of some species of trichomonad 
flagellates, is recognizable running the entire length of the tail-like portion 
(PI. XIII, fig. 34). The rod is transparent, slightly refractive, and not stained with 
any dyes. It is only in the slender portion that it is clearly recognizable, and 
it is never visible in individuals with rounded posterior ends. It is probable, 
however, that it exists in the majority of individuals, but is invisible in 
plump forms, being hidden in the endoplasm. Though the anterior end of 
the rod cannot be made out in any individuals, it may be safely concluded 
from its behaviour that it is of limited length and is not connected firmly 
with any part of the body at its anterior end. In this respect it is less 
developed than the axostyle of trichomonads, and neither serves as a skeleton 
for the whole body, nor for the control of its movements as in these flagellates. 
The organism is small in size for a trichonymphid, spindle-shaped indi¬ 
viduals measuring 20-55 p in length and 10-30 p in breadth, piriform ones 
20-40 jLt in length and 18-30 p in breadth (the tail-like portion being excluded). 
Under the periplast of the anterior portion, several narrow bands, con¬ 
sisting of minute granules deeply stainable with iron-haematoxylin, are 
noticed running in parallel spiral lines. The number of these narrow bands 
appearing in side view varies commonly from 6 to 8. Careful study shows 
that there are really four of these bands starting at the anterior tip of the 
body and turning round spirally towards the posterior portion (PI. XIII, fig. 35). 
The direction of the spiral of the bands is always dexiotropic, as in the forms 
