The Structure of the Common Intestinal Trichomonad of Man

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Abstract
In Bodian protein-silver preparations many features of the mastigont structure of an intestinal trichomonad of man can be demonstrated with much distinctness. Some of these features have not hitherto been reported. At the anterior end of the body is a flattened structure, the pelta, which lies to the right of the blepharoplast-complex and is prolonged dorsally in a filament that passes posteriorly in the cytoplasm dorsal to the nucleus. The pelta may be an extension of the capitulum of the axostyle. The margin of the undulating membrane consists of 2 parallel filaments, as Wenrich reported; one of these continues in the posterior flagellum, which generally terminates in a slender filament. The other flagella are typically as stout at the ends as elsewhere; and have a terminal section that impregnates especially deeply with silver, and sometimes is bent at an angle. A small, ellipsoidal parabasal body lies against the anterolateral surface of the nucleus, a short distance to the right of the plane passing through the nucleus and costa. The parabasal apparatus may also include a filament, like that in Trichomonas tenax, but it was not demonstrated in this material. This flagellate from man possesses a normally constant number of 4 anterior flagella in a group, an independent flagellum, and the undulating membrane with its posterior flagellum. The independent flagellum is directed posteriorly, arises under the posterior margin of the pelta, and is entirely separate from the anteriorly-directed group of 4 flagella. It is believed that this feature justifies generic distinction of this flagellate of man, as well as of similar forms in other animals. The intestinal trichomonad of man may be denominated Pentatri-chomonas hominis (Davaine, 1860).

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