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Metamonad

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{{Taxobox | color = khaki | name = Metamonads | image = Giardia lamblia.jpg | image_width = 220px | image_caption = ''Giardia lamblia'', a parasitic diplomonad | regnum = Protista | phylum = '''Metamonada''' | phylum_authority = Grassé 1952 ''emend.'' | subdivision_ranks = Classes & orders | subdivision = Eopharyngia
   Retortamonadida
   Diplomonadida
   ''Carpediemonas''
Parabasalid Parabasalia
Anaeromonada
   Oxymonadida
   ''Trimastix'' }} The '''metamonads''' are a large group of flagellate protozoa. Their composition is not entirely settled, but they include the retortamonads, diplomonads, and possibly the parabasalids and oxymonads as well. These four groups are all anaerobic, occurring mostly as symbiosis symbiotes of animals. A number of parabasalids and oxymonads are found in termite guts, and play an important role in breaking down the cellulose found in wood. Some other metamonads are parasites. These flagellates are unusual in lacking mitochondrion mitochondria. Originally they were considered among the most primitive eukaryotes, diverging from the others before mitochondria appeared. However, they are now known to have lost mitchondria secondarily, and retain both organelles and nuclear genes derived from them. Mitochondrial relics include hydrogenosomes, which produce hydrogen, and small structures called mitosomes. All of these groups are united by having flagellum flagella or basal bodies in characteristic groups of four, which are often associated with the cell nucleus nucleus, forming a structure called a ''karyomastigont''. In addition, the genera ''Carpediemonas'' and ''Trimastix'' are now known to be close relatives of the retortamonad-diplomonad line and the oxymonads, respectively. Both are free-living and amitochondriate. The metamonads make up part of the excavates, a eukaryotic supergroup including flagellates with feeding grooves and their close relatives. Their relationships are uncertain, and they do not always appear together on molecular trees. It is possible that the metamonads as defined here do not form a monophyletic subgroup.

References
* {{cite journal | author = T. Cavalier-Smith | title = The excavate protozoan phyla Metamonada Grassé emend. (Anaeromonadea, Parabasalia, ''Carpediemonas'', Eopharyngia) and Loukozoa emend. (Jakobea, ''Malawimonas''): their evolutionary affinities and new higher taxa | journal = International Journal of Systematic and Evoluionary Microbiology | year = 2003 | volume = 53 | pages = 1741-1758}} Category:Protista Category:Flagellates Category:Metamonads * fr:Metamonada nds:Metamonada no:Tetramastigota

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