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Devescovinid trichomonad with axostyle-based rotary motor ("Rubberneckia"): taxonomic assignment as Caduceia versatilis sp. novAn amitochondriate trichomonad cell of the family Devescovinidae (Class Parabasalia), helped demonstrate the fluid model of lipoprotein cell membranes. This wood-ingesting symbiont in the hindgut of the dry wood-eating termite Cryptotermes cavifrons is informally known to cell biologists as "Rubberneckia". As the microtubular axo-style complex generates force causing clockwise movement of the entire anterior portion of the cell at the shear zone the protist displays "head" rotation. Studies by phase contrast and videomicroscopy of live cells, of whole mounts by scanning, and thin sections by transmission electron microscopy extend the observations of Tamm and Tamm [24-26] and Tamm [19-23]. Habitat, cell shape, size, nuclear features, parabasal apparatus and other morphological details permit the assignment of "Rubberneckia" to Kirby's cosmopolitan genus Caduceia. This large-sized devescovinid has distinctive parabasal gyres, an axostylar rotary, motor, and regularly-associated nonflagellated, fusiform and flagellated rod epibiotic surface bacteria. In addition to regularly aligned epibionts intranuclear and endocytoplasmic bacteria are abundant and hydrogenosomes are Present. "Rubberneckia" is compared here to the other seven species of Caduceia. Since it is clearly sufficiently distinctive to warrant new species status, we named it C. versatilis.
Document ID
20040088905
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
d'Ambrosio, U.
(University of Massachusetts Amherst 01003, United States)
Dolan, M.
Wier, A. M.
Margulis, L.
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
October 15, 1999
Publication Information
Publication: European journal of protistology
Volume: 35
Issue: 3
ISSN: 0932-4739
Subject Category
Exobiology
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: BBS 8714235
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Non-NASA Center
NASA Discipline Exobiology

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