Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 April 2009
Stages of incomplete division of chains of individuals in the species Herpetomonas bancrofti, as well as the distribution of abnormal cells within long chains, were found to support the writer's earlier view (Holmes, 1931) that successive longitudinal divisions of individuals occur within chains. In this type of division there is alternate splitting of individuals from anterior and from posterior ends of cells. It is concluded that this hitherto unproved type of division of pairs and chains is sufficient to account for the presence of all observed aggregates.
No evidence was found suggesting occurrence of any essentially different type of cell division, such as the transverse fission reported by Franchini (1931, 1931 a) as possibly accounting for formation of chains in H. ganorae.