302 
Intestinal Protozoa in Termites 
In the system of Grassi, Holomastigotes and Holomastigotoides are classified 
separately from Spirotrichonympha. The differences between these genera, 
however, do not seem to me so remarkable as to warrant their separation 
into different families. The peculiarly differentiated protoplasm in the anterior 
region of the body is similar in the three genera, differing simply in the degree 
of its development. The organisms agree also in the character that the flagella 
are arranged in spiral rows: and in all these forms, also, the spiral arrange¬ 
ment is peculiar in being dexiotropic. Spirotrichonympha seems to differ from 
the other genera in that the basal granules of the flagella lie somewhat deep 
in the endoplasm; but I do not think this difference to be very important. 
As for my Microspironympha, it has the rows of flagella running spirally 
(dexiotropic), just as in the above three genera; but it differs from them in 
being provided with the tubular structure connecting the anterior tip of the 
body with the nucleus. The differences between the Holomastigotidae and 
Spirotrichonymphidae of Grassi are not so distinct as the differences between 
Microspironympha and any of the Spirotrichonymphidae and Holomastigo¬ 
tidae. Consequently if Holomastigotes and Spirotrichonympha are taken to 
belong to different families, Microspironympha would naturally have to be 
separated from both of them. But I do not think the differences among 
Microspironympha , Holomastigotes , and Spirotrichonympha are so important 
that each must be taken to represent the type of a different family. I am of 
the opinion that these genera should all be put at present in a single family, 
which may be called Holomastigotidae. 
The forms provided with a smaller number of flagella are classified among 
the Polymastigina by Grassi. They are of very varied types and the great 
majority of them have their own peculiarities: so I suppose that, as our 
knowledge increases it will ultimately be necessary to establish many families 
for them. For instance, some of the forms classified by Grassi among the 
Tetramitidae will perhaps soon be separated from the ordinary trichomonads. 
In this group, my material was limited to only one genus, Pyrsonympha. 
Pyrsonympha has very distinct characteristics, and it is unquestionable that 
it has to be separated from any families established for flagellates other than 
those from the intestines of termites. I cannot, indeed, find any form among 
hitherto described flagellates which seems to belong to the same family: for 
I cannot agree with Grassi (1917) in ranking Pseudotrypanosoma, described 
by him, in the same family with Pyrsonympha. 
The families and the genera studied by myself will be defined as follows: 
(1) Family Trichonymjphidae S. Kent (emend.). 
Large forms. Anterior part of the body highly differentiated: body wall 
of the anterior portion formed of one or two thick ectoplasmic layers, densely 
traversed by numerous flagella: anterior extremity provided with an axial 
skeleton (axial core). A single large vesicular nucleus present. There is no 
