ISOLATION AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL FEATURES OF A NEW STRAIN OF DIMASTIGELLA-TRYPANIFORMIS SANDON 1928 (BODONINA, KINETOPLASTIDA) AND COMPARISON WITH A PREVIOUSLY ISOLATED STRAIN

A strain of the free-living flagellate Dimastigella trypaniformis Sand on was isolated from the gut contents of the Australian termite Mastot ermes darwiniensis Froggatt. The fine structure of the isolate (Ulm st rain) was compared with a Strain isolated from soil in Scotland (Glasg ow strain). The biflagellated trophozoites possess great morphological similarities with the bodonids and cryptobiids such as a polykinetopl astic mitochondrial complex, a flagellar paraxial rod, and a cytophary ngeal complex. However, characteristic features are also found such as the two opposed basal bodies and the two flagella, one anteriorly and the other recurrently directed, the latter adhering to a ventral furr ow, a rostrum as well as a cytostome and a cytopharynx with rostral st ructures. These organisms have a typical motion with a highly flexible cell body. They are able to form resistant cysts in the culture. The two strains are distinguishable by small differences in their growth c haracteristics in different media and qualitative ultrastructural feat ures.