Strigomonas culicis

Strigomonas culicis
Strigomonas culicis observed by differential interference contrast (DIC)
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Discoba
Phylum: Euglenozoa
Class: Kinetoplastea
Order: Trypanosomatida
Genus: Strigomonas
Species:
S. culicis
Binomial name
Strigomonas culicis
Teixeira et al., 2011
Type strain
ATCC12982, TCC043E
Synonyms
  • Blastocrithidia culicis Wallace and Johnson, 1961
  • Herpetomonas culicis Novy et al. 1907

Strigomonas culicis is a protist and member of flagellated trypanosomatids. It is an obligate parasite in the gastrointestinal tract of mosquito, and is in turn a host to symbiotic bacteria. It maintains strict mutualistic relationship with the bacteria as a sort of cell organelle (endosymbiont) so that it cannot lead an independent life without the bacteria. Along with Angomonas deanei, S. culicis is researched as model organism for the evolution of symbiotic relationsships with intracellular bacteria.