Cholamonas cyrtodiopsidis gen. n., sp n. (Cercomonadida), an endocommensal, mycophagous heterotrophic flagellate with a doubled kinetid

The name Cholamonas cyrtodiopsidis gen. n., sp. n., is created for a mycoph agous heterotrophic flagellate isolated and cultivated from the intestine o f a diopsid fly. Flagellates were subanteriorly biflagellate, uninucleate, and naked. Golgi dictyosomes were anterior to the nucleus, and a reticulate paranuclear body posterior to it. Two groups of refractile bodies were pre sent, one at the anterior end of the cell, the other in the vicinity of the nucleus. Numerous elongate, unbranched mitochondria with tubular cristae w ere distributed around the periphery and parallel to the long axis of the c ell. The kinetid consisted of two symmetrical subunits, each with two basal bodies (one of which was associated with a stubby flagellum), a compound m icrotubular root, and associated fibers and bands. Cytoskeletal microtubule s emanated from the cell anterior and were not associated with any kinetid element. Feeding, on yeast, was accomplished by rapid pseudopodial action a t the posterior end of the cell. Cholamonas cyrtodiopsidis is referred to C ercomonadida because it possesses a paranuclear body and has a kinetid arch itecture similar to some species of Cercomonas. It differs from all other c ercomonads in its endocommensal habitat, mycophagy, doubled kinetid, distri bution of refractile granules and mitochondria, and minimal production of p seudopodia.