Zooflagellates – protozoan, Biology

Assignment Help:

Zooflagellates – Protozoan

Zooflagellates are heterotrophs that are free living, commensals or symbiotic or parasitic in other animals. A number of species eg. Trichonynzpha and Myxotricha live within the gut of termites and digest cellulose that the wood-eating termites feed o but cannot digest for themselves.

Trichortympha lives as a mutualistic symbiont in the hindgut of wood-eating insects (termites and woodroaches). The anterior end of these large, complex flagellates (sometimes over 300 pm long) is covered with an elaborate pellicle and hundreds of flagella, but the posterior end extends pseudopods and ingests bits of wood. The flagellate is able to produce cellulose-digesting enzymes, but the insect host cannot; and therefore, depends on carbohydrates released by its symbionts.

Each time the insect molts, it loses the lining of the hindgut and all its symbionts. If it is unable to acquire new ones, it will starve to death, even though it continues to feed normally, for it cannot digest the wood. The flagellates are equally dependent on the mutualism and die within minutes outside the host. A young or newly-molted termite acquires symbionts by feeding directly from the anal opening of other termites in the colony. Myxotricha appears to be covered with flagella. But only four of these are true flagella and the others are a kind of bacteria or spirochetes (see margin remarks) attached to its surface. Their lashing movements enable the flagellate to swim about, and its own flagella help in steering.

2308_Zoo flagellates.png

                                                                 Figure: Zooflagellates parasitic in the gut of termites.

Other well known parasitic species of flagellates are Trypanosoma and Leishmania found in humans and cattle in Africa and Asia. Trypanosoma causes sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in cattle. The blood of the host is infected with the flagellate when the tsetse fly bites the host. Leishnamia is the agent for the widespread kala-azar and related disease. It affects the immune system and causes skin lesions among other effects. The host for this protozoan is the blood sucking sand fly.


Related Discussions:- Zooflagellates – protozoan

Fiehes test and aniline chloride test, Q. Fiehes test and Aniline chloride ...

Q. Fiehes test and Aniline chloride test? Determine the adulteration in the given honey sample by Fiehe's test and Aniline chloride test This activity will help you to: •

Determine the term epitheliomuscular cell, Determine the term Epitheliomusc...

Determine the term Epitheliomuscular cell. Cells which line outer surface of cnidarians. These cell have two functions: first is to form the outer body covering of animal, seco

What is the principle of automated blood cell counters, Question 1 Discuss...

Question 1 Discuss various methods of blood collection in a laboratory. Add a note on collection of blood by using vacutainers. Make a table indicating the color of vacutainer tub

Explain the peripheral resistance, Explain the Peripheral Resistance Re...

Explain the Peripheral Resistance Resistance offered by arterioles or resistance vessels, as you have read above, is termed as peripheral resistance. Changes in peripheral resi

The eye refract the light, Which parts of the eye refract ('bend') the ligh...

Which parts of the eye refract ('bend') the light in such a way as to form an image on the retina?   The curved surface of the cornea, and the aqueous humour enclosed by it,

Dna replication in eukaryotes, DNA replication in eukaryotes is much more c...

DNA replication in eukaryotes is much more complex than in prokaryotes while there are various same aspects. The Eukaryotic cells can only initiate DNA replication at a particular

Filaments of a sarcomere in a skeletal muscle is decreasing, When the overl...

When the overlap between the thin and thick filaments of a sarcomere in a skeletal muscle is decreasing, the A. total length of the I band minus the length of the H zone is dec

Removal of a patient''s peripheral intravenous catheter, Removal of a patie...

Removal of a patient's peripheral intravenous catheter resulted in brief bleeding and the loss of a small amount of blood. Which of the following processes occurred during the form

How do genetic mutations influence biological diversity, How do genetic mut...

How do genetic mutations influence biological diversity? Too frequent or too extensive genetic mutations usually are deleterious for individuals and species. These mutations fr

What are the part of the musculoskeletal system, Which are the organs that ...

Which are the organs that are part of the musculoskeletal system? The main organs and tissues that are part of the musculoskeletal system in humans are the cartilages, the bone

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd