Enteromonas hominis Retortamonas intestinalis Identifying Flagellates Table 1. Differential morphology of flagellates found in stool samples of humans. The flagellates belong to the Magistophora and possess more than one flagellum. Beating these flagella enable them to move. A cytosome may be present which helps in the identification of the species.
Flagellates possess one advantage over their amoeboid relatives in that they can swim.
Therefore, enabling them to invade and adapt to a wider range of environments unsuitable for other amoebae. Flagellates are known to inhabit the reproductive tract, alimentary canal, tissue sites and also the blood stream, lymph vessels and cerebrospinal canal. There are pathogenic and commensal species of flagellates. The trophozoites are easily recognised in saline preparations by their motility. However, accurate identification is done on a permanently stained faecal smear.