Definition: A genus of asexual monogenetic flagellates (family Trypanosomatidae) that are strictly insect parasites, with a variety of body forms including promastigote (leptomad), epimastigote (crithidial), amastigote (leishmanial), and trypomastigote (trypanosome-like); infective forms are passed in the host feces. Herpetomonas muscae domesticae, the type species, is found in the common housefly.
[G. herpeton, a reptile (fr. herpo, to creep), + monas, unit (one of the Monadidae)]
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