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The symbiotic fauna of the African termite Hodotermes mossambicus identification of four flagellate species of the genera Spironympha, Trichomonoides and Retortamonas

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Abstract

Two Spironympha species were described by light immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. Spironympha fibrosa n. sp. has a narrow columella, several axostylar fibres and original striated myoneme-like fibres attached to the last basal body of each flagellar line. Spironympha simplex n. sp. is small and has non-striated microfibrils attached to the basal body section and an axostyle composed of two fibres. Trichomonas termitidis, as reported by Dogiel (Researches on parasitic protozoa from the intestine of termites. II. Lophomonadidae. Sci Res Zool Exped Brit E Africa made by Prof. V. Dogiel and I. Sokolow in 1914 10:20–35, 1917), has the features of Trichomonoides trypanoides, as reported by Brugerolle and Bordereau (Eur J Protistol 40:163–174, 2004). Retortamonas hodotermitis n. sp. shares the characteristics of insect retortamonads, as reported by Brugerolle (Protistologica 8:233–240, 1976), but does not correspond to any species described to date. The species identification differs from that of described in Dogiel (Russkii Arkhiv Protistologii 1:172–234, 1922).

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Acknowledgments

The author thanks Robert A. and Bordereau C. for culturing termites and Vincenot J.L. for printing the photographs.

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  1. Biologie des Protistes, Université Blaise Pascal de Clermont-Ferrand, 63177, Aubière, Cedex, France

    Guy Brugerolle

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  1. Guy Brugerolle
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Correspondence to Guy Brugerolle.

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Brugerolle, G. The symbiotic fauna of the African termite Hodotermes mossambicus identification of four flagellate species of the genera Spironympha, Trichomonoides and Retortamonas . Parasitol Res 98, 257–263 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-0002-1

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