Hexamita

Hexamita is a genus of parasitic diplomonads. It is related to Giardia. H. columbae and H. meleagridis live in the intestines of birds. H. muris and H. pitheci live in the intestines of mammals. H. salmonis and H. truttae live in the intestines of fish. Species in the Hexamita family are most commonly spread through fecal matter.^[1]

Hexamita
Retortamonas (Retortamonadida), on left; Hexamita, on center, and Giardia, on right (both Diplomonadida)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
(unranked):	Excavata
Phylum:	Metamonada
Order:	Diplomonadida
Family:	Hexamitidae
Genus:	Hexamita Dujardin, 1838
Species
Hexamita columbae Hexamita meleagridis Hexamita muris Hexamita pitheci Hexamita salmonis Hexamita truttae

The genus also includes the species Hexamita inflata.^[2]

It is believed that Hexamita parasites are one possible cause for head and lateral line erosion ("hole-in-the-head disease") in aquarium fishes.