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The plagiopylids are a small order of ciliates, including a few forms common in anaerobic habitats.
The Colpodea are a class of ciliates, of about 200 species common in freshwater and soil habitats. The body cilia are typically uniform, and are supported by dikinetids of characteristic structure, with cilia on both kinetosomes. The mouth may be apical or ventral, with more or less prominent associated polykinetids. Many are asymmetrical, the cells twisting sideways and then untwisting again prior to division, which often takes place within cysts. Colpoda, a kidney-shaped ciliate common in organic rich conditions, is representative.
The hypotrichs are a group of ciliated protozoa, common in fresh water, salt water, soil and moss. Hypotrichs possess compound ciliary organelles called "cirri," which are made up of thick tufts of cilia, sparsely distributed on the ventral surface of the cell. The multiple fused cilia which form a cirrus function together as a unit, enabling the organism to crawl along solid substrates such as submerged debris or sediments. Hypotrichs typically possess a large oral aperture, bordered on one side by a wreath or collar of membranelles, forming an "adoral zone of membranelles," or AZM.
Balantidium is a genus of ciliates. It contains the parasitic species Balantidium coli, the only known cause of balantidiasis.
Spirostomum is a genus of ciliated protists in the class Heterotrichea. It is known for being very contractile. Having been first identified by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg in 1834, further research has identified eight additional true morphospecies. This bacterivore genus mainly lives in the sediment deposits at the bottom of various aquatic habitats, and members possess rquA genes that could be responsible for their ability to survive in these hypoxic and anoxic environments. They are identifiable by their relatively large tubular/flat vermiform bodies. Their life cycle consists of a growth stage, in which they mature, and asexual and sexual reproduction stages. Some species are model organisms for studies on human pathogenic bacteria, while others are sensitive and accurate bioindicators for toxic substances.
Climacostomum is a genus of unicellular ciliates, belonging to the class Heterotrichea.
Dileptus is a genus of unicellular ciliates in the class Litostomatea. Species of Dileptus occur in fresh and salt water, as well as mosses and soils. Most are aggressive predators equipped with long, mobile proboscides lined with toxic extrusomes, with which they stun smaller organisms before consuming them. Thirteen species and subspecies of Dileptus are currently recognized.
Bickella antarctica is a species of littoral free‐swimming folliculinid ciliates, first found near King George Island. It has a typical Folliculina morphology barring its absence of lorica. It is the sole species in the genus Bickella.
Chlamydonella apoprostomata is a species of littoral ciliates, first found near King George Island.
Euplotes dragescoi is a species of littoral ciliates, first found near King George Island.
Holosticha antarctica is a species of littoral ciliates, first found near King George Island.
Holosticha apodiademata is a species of littoral ciliates, first found near King George Island.
Urotricha antarctica is a species of littoral ciliates, first found near King George Island.
Remanella is a genus of karyorelict ciliates, belonging to family Loxodidae. Whereas Remanella inhabits brackish and marine waters, Loxodes – the other loxodid genus – is a freshwater taxon.
Armophorea is a class of ciliates in the subphylum Intramacronucleata. . It was first resolved in 2004 and comprises three orders: Metopida, Clevelandellida, and Armophorida. Previously members of this class were thought to be heterotrichs because of similarities in morphology, most notably a characteristic dense arrangement of cilia surrounding their oral structures. However, the development of genetic tools and subsequent incorporation of DNA sequence information has led to major revisions in the evolutionary relationships of many protists, including ciliates. Metopids, clevelandellids, and armophorids were grouped into this class based on similarities in their small subunit rRNA sequences, making them one of two so-called "riboclasses" of ciliates, however, recent analyses suggest that Armophorida may not be related to the other two orders.
Scuticociliatia is a subclass of ciliates in the class Oligohymenophorea. Its members are called scuticociliates. These unicellular eukaryotes are microorganisms that are usually free-living and can be found in freshwater, marine, and soil habitats. Around 20 members of the group have been identified as causative agents of the disease scuticociliatosis, in which the ciliates are parasites of other marine organisms. Species known to be susceptible include a broad range of teleosts, seahorses, sharks, and some crustaceans.
Miamiensis avidus is a species of unicellular marine eukaryote that is a parasite of many different types of fish. It is one of several organisms known to cause the fish disease scuticociliatosis and is considered an economically significant pathogen of farmed fish. M. avidus is believed to be the cause of a 2017 die-off of fish and sharks in the San Francisco Bay.
Trachelocercidae is a family of ciliates in the class Karyorelictea.
Holosticha is a genus of littoral ciliates.
Holostichidae is a family of littoral ciliates.
References
- ↑ Wilbert, Norbert; Song, Weibo (2008). "A further study on littoral ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora) near King George Island, Antarctica, with description of a new genus and seven new species". Journal of Natural History. 42 (13–14): 979–1012. doi:10.1080/00222930701877540. ISSN 0022-2933. S2CID 86742997.
