Glomerulosomes: morphologically distinct nuclear organelles of unknown nature.

The nucleus of some representatives of the genus Pelomyxa (Amoebozoa, Archamoebae, Pelobiontida) contains specific bodies (membrane-less organelles). They may be either embedded in the nucleolar mass or detached from the nucleolus. We termed these nuclear bodies the glomerulosomes for their characteristic ultrastructural appearance.

Vickermania gen. nov., trypanosomatids that use two joined flagella to resist midgut peristaltic flow within the fly host.

Background: The family Trypanosomatidae encompasses parasitic flagellates, some of which cause serious vector-transmitted diseases of humans and domestic animals. However, insect-restricted parasites represent the ancestral and most diverse group within the family. They display a range of unusual features and their study can provide insights into the biology of human pathogens.

Reisolation and redescription of Balantidium duodeni Stein, 1867 (Litostomatea, Trichostomatia).

In this work, we present reisolation and redescription of Balantidium duodeni Stein, 1867 from the European common brown frog Rana temporaria Linnaeus, 1758 using light and electron microscopy. This species has a unique morphological feature--its cells are flattened along the dorsoventral axis. Because of its unique morphology and localization (duodenum) in the gastrointestinal tract of the host, it has been proposed to recognize B.

Evolution of Archamoebae: morphological and molecular evidence for pelobionts including Rhizomastix, Entamoeba, Iodamoeba, and Endolimax.

The archamoebae form a small clade of anaerobic/microaerophilic flagellates or amoebae, comprising the pelobionts (mastigamoebids and pelomyxids) and the entamoebae. It is a member of the eukaryotic supergroup Amoebozoa. We examined 22 strains of 13 species of Mastigamoeba, Pelomyxa and Rhizomastix by light-microscopy and determined their SSU rRNA gene sequences.