Trypanosomatida
| Trypanosomes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Trypanosoma cruzi | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Clade: | Discoba |
| Phylum: | Euglenozoa |
| Class: | Kinetoplastea |
| Subclass: | Metakinetoplastina |
| Order: | Trypanosomatida Kent 1880 |
| Family: | Trypanosomatidae Doflein 1901 |
| Type genus | |
| Trypanosoma Gruby, 1843 | |
| Subfamilies and infrafamilies | |
| |
Trypanosomatida is a group of kinetoplastid unicellular organisms distinguished by having only a single flagellum. The name is derived from the Greek trypano (borer) and soma (body) because of the corkscrew-like motion of some trypanosomatid species. All members are exclusively parasitic, found primarily in insects. A few genera have life-cycles involving a secondary host, which may be a vertebrate, invertebrate or plant. These include several species that cause major diseases in humans. Some trypanosomatida are intracellular parasites, with the important exception of Trypanosoma brucei.