Kiitoksia | |
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Kiitoksia kaloista, phase contrast light micrograph of living cell, from Lake Crowley, Eastern Sierras (California); debris attached to short flagellum. | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Clade: | Sar |
Clade: | Rhizaria |
Phylum: | Cercozoa |
Class: | Metromonadea |
Order: | Metromonadida |
Family: | Kiitoksiidae Cavalier-Smith in Cavalier-Smith & Scoble, 2013 |
Genus: | Kiitoksia N.Vørs, 1992 [1] |
Type species | |
Kiitoksia ystava Vørs 1992 | |
Species [2] | |
Kiitoksia is a genus of aquatic protist. The taxonomic position of the genus is still uncertain and it has not found a robust location in any subgroup. [3]
Two species are confidently known in the genus: Kiitoksia ystava and Kiitoksia kaloista. K. ystava was first discovered in Tvärminne in the Gulf of Finland. K. kaloista was discovered in Sombre Lake on Signy Island, near Antarctica. A third species, K. parva was transferred from the genus Clautriavia by Smith and Scoble [4]
The Kiitoksia species are single-celled organisms approximately 2-4 micrometres in size and round in shape. The species can be distinguished by their flagella: K. ystava has two flagella, one short and one long, while K. kaloista has one long flagellum. [3] [5]
"Kiitoksia" is a Finnish word for "thanks". The phrase "kiitoksia, ystävä" means "thank you, friend", while "kiitoksia kaloista" means "thanks for the fish". The latter name is a reference to the Douglas Adams novel, So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish .