Trichomonas

Trichomonas
Two trophozoites of "Trichomonas vaginalis" stained with Giemsa
Two trophozoites of Trichomonas vaginalis stained with Giemsa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Phylum: Metamonada
Subphylum: Trichozoa
(unranked): Parabasalia
Order: Trichomonadida
Family: Trichomonadidae
Genus: Trichomonas
Species[1]

Trichomonas is a genus of anaerobic excavate parasites of vertebrates. It was first discovered by Alfred François Donné in 1836 when he found these parasites in the pus of a patient suffering from vaginitis, an inflammation of the vagina. Donné named the genus from its morphological characteristics. The prefix tricho- originates from the Ancient Greek word θρίξ (thrix) meaning hair, describing Trichomonas’s flagella. The suffix -monas (μονάς – single unit), describes its similarity to unicellular organisms from the genus Monas.[2]

  1. ^ "Trichomonas". NCBI taxonomy. Bethesda, MD: National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  2. ^ Donné, A. (19 September 1836). "Animalcules observés dans les matières purulentes et le produit des sécrétions des organes génitaux de l'homme et de la femme". Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences (in French). 3: 385–386.