PARAFLAGELLATE Meaning and
Definition
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Paraflagellate is an adjective used to describe a type of protozoan organism possessing flagella, which are whip-like structures responsible for locomotion. The prefix "para" indicates that these flagella are located alongside the body, rather than at one or both ends. This term is commonly used to refer to specific groups of protozoans within the phylum Euglenozoa, namely the kinetoplastids and diplomonads.
Kinetoplastids are characteristically paraflagellates with a single flagellum that emerges from a specialized structure called the kinetoplast. These organisms are usually free-living, but some species are pathogenic, causing diseases such as sleeping sickness in humans. Diplomonads, on the other hand, have two equal-sized flagella that arise from basal bodies at the anterior end of the cell. They possess no mitochondria, instead containing specialized energy-generating organelles called mitosomes.
Paraflagellates are distinguished by their unique flagellar arrangement, which influences their movement and behavior. The presence of flagella allows these organisms to swim through liquid environments, enabling them to locate food, evade predators, and find suitable habitats. Some paraflagellates have evolved to live as symbionts within other organisms, such as termites or insects, where they contribute to their host's digestive processes.
Overall, paraflagellates encompass diverse and fascinating organisms that play integral roles within ecosystems, showing remarkable adaptability and serving as important models for research on evolution, genetics, and parasitology.
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Having one or more paraflagella, paramastigote.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for PARAFLAGELLATE
- oaraflagellate
- laraflagellate
- -araflagellate
- 0araflagellate
- pzraflagellate
- psraflagellate
- pwraflagellate
- pqraflagellate
- paeaflagellate
- padaflagellate
- pafaflagellate
- pataflagellate
- pa5aflagellate
- pa4aflagellate
- parzflagellate
- parsflagellate
- parwflagellate
- parqflagellate
- paradlagellate
- paraclagellate
Etymology of PARAFLAGELLATE
The word "paraflagellate" is derived from the combination of two elements: "para-" and "flagellate".
1. "Para-" is a prefix that comes from Greek and means "beside" or "beyond". It has several meanings, such as "parallel to" or "similar to", but in the context of "paraflagellate", it signifies "beside" or "near".
2. "Flagellate" refers to organisms that possess whip-like projections called flagella, which are used for movement. The term originates from the Latin word "flagellatus", which means "whipped" or "lashed".
