portrait
Streblomastix (streb-low-mast-icks) is a long rod-shaped or filamentous oxymonad flagellate. Usually about 20-50 microns long, but may extend to several hundred microns. The body surface is carved in deep spiral ridges (4 to 8) and covered with long rod shaped epibiotic bacteria. The 4 flagella are inserted subapically at the base of a holdfast and do not adhere to the cell body. The holdfast develops in cells attached to the intestinal wall. They probably feed by pinocytosis. Streblomastix strix Kofoid & Swezy 1919 is the only named species. From the termite Zootermopsis, supplied by Wards Natural Science Establishment, Rochester, New York, USA. Phase contrast. This picture was taken by Linda Amaral Zettler, Lorraine Olendzenski, and David Patterson of material from the intestines of the termite Zootermopsis. Image copyright: L Amaral-Zettler, L. Olendzenski and D. J. Patterson, image used under license to MBL (micro*scope).
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Streblomastix
From the collection
Zootermopsis - termite
| Description of Streblomastix: Long rod shape flagellate (15-530µm), Streblomastix strix is the only species, lives in the hindgut of termopsid termites such as Zootermopsis angusticollis. The body surface is carved in deep spiral ridges (4 to 8) and covered with long rod shaped epibiont bacteria. The 4 flagella are inserted subapically at the base of the holdfast and are not adherent to the cell body. The 2 pairs of basal bodies are connected to the preaxostylar lamina. The axostyle is composed of few microtubular rows in the anterior part and reduced to one row around the elongated nucleus and to a thin bundle in the posterior part. Axostyle contraction is probably at the origin of the flexing movements of the cell body. Paraxostylar and pelta microtubules are present in the anterior part. The holdfast develops in cells attached to the intestinal wall. They probably feed by pinocytosis. They reproduce by longitudinal binary fission. |
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