Studies on the morphology of tritrichomonas foetus (Riedmüller) (protozoa, flagellata) from American cows

Abstract

AbstractTritrichomonas foetus (Riedmüller) which occurs in the genital tract of domestic cows and which appears to be associated with pathological conditions, including sterility and abortion, has been found in American cows and its morphology studied.The spindle‐shaped body is 10 to 25 μ in length and bears three anterior flagella and a posterior flagellum which constitutes the marginal filament of the nearly full‐length undulating membrane and continues posteriorly as a trailing flagellum. There is an accessory filament in the undulating membrane. The axostyle is of the thick, hyaline type and contains endoaxostylar granules in the capitulum and bears a chromatic ring at the point of emergence from the body. There is a well‐developed costa under the undulating membrane and a simple type of parabasal body.In its morphology this species more nearly resembles such intestinal forms as T. augusta and T. muris than it does Trichomonas vaginalis of man, since the latter has four anterior flagella, a short undulating membrane without an accessory filament, no trailing flagellum, a different type of axostyle, and a parabasal filament along with its larger parabasal body.