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Mastigophora: An Overview of Flagellated Protozoa

Mastigophora is a term used to describe a group of single-celled protozoans characterized by the presence of flagella, whip-like structures used for movement.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Rank: Superclass (formerly a subphylum or class)
• Phylum: Protozoa
• Subphylum: Sarcomastigophora
• Kingdom: Protista
• Synonyms: Flagellata, Mastigophora Atrichosomata, Mastigophora Trichosomata

Distribution and Habitat

• Mastigophora are found worldwide.
• They inhabit diverse environments, including both free-living forms in water and parasitic forms within various organisms.
• Mastigophora woodsii is a species found in Ireland and the Himalayas, but not continental Europe. Other species of Mastigophora are found in Guinea (western Africa) southwards to the Cape of Good Hope.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Mastigophora are unicellular organisms that move using one or more flagella.
• Flagella are long, spirally wound fibrils that beat or rotate to propel the protozoan.
• Some species form colonies where coordinated flagellar movement enables group locomotion.
• Mastigophora woodsii is a robust species with shoots reaching several centimeters in length.

Ecological Role and Interactions

• Mastigophora can be free-living or parasitic.
• Some species are important pathogens of humans.
• They interact with other organisms, including insects and marine life. For example, cultured geoduck clam larvae can be naturally infected with Isonema-like flagellates.

Further Information

• Lackey, James B. (2014). Mastigophora. Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
• The Plant List: includes scientific plant names of species rank for the genus Mastigophora.