The Rhizaria are a diverse and species-rich supergroup of mostly unicellular eukaryotes. Except for the Chlorarachniophytes and three species in the genus Paulinella in the phylum Cercozoa, they are all non-photosynthethic, but many foraminifera and radiolaria have a symbiotic relationship with unicellular algae. A multicellular form, Guttulinopsis vulgaris, a cellular slime mold, has been described. This group was used by Cavalier-Smith in 2002, although the term "Rhizaria" had been long used for clades within the currently recognized taxon. Being described mainly from rDNA sequences, they vary considerably in form, having no clear morphological distinctive characters (synapomorphies), but for the most part they are amoeboids with filose, reticulose, or microtubule-supported pseudopods. In the absence of an apomorphy, the group is ill-defined, and its composition has been very fluid. Some Rhizaria possess mineral exoskeletons, which are in different clades within Rhizaria made out of opal, celestite, or calcite. Certain species can attain sizes of more than a centimeter with some species being able to form cylindrical colonies approximately 1 cm in diameter and greater than 1 m in length. They feed by capturing and engulfing prey with the extensions of their pseudopodia; forms that are symbiotic with unicellular algae contribute significantly to the total primary production of the ocean.
Cercomonads are small amoeboflagellates, widespread in aqueous habitats and common in soils.
Protozoa are a polyphyletic group of single-celled eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic, that feed on organic matter such as other microorganisms or organic debris. Historically, protozoans were regarded as "one-celled animals".
Thaumatomonadida is an order of flagellates.
Cryomonadida is a group of heterotrophic Rhizaria, that belong to the Cercozoa.
Thecofilosea is a class of unicellular testate amoebae belonging to the phylum Cercozoa. They are amoeboflagellates, organisms with flagella and pseudopodia, distinguished from other cercozoa by their scale-lacking test composed of organic material. They are closely related to the Imbricatea, a group of testate amoebae with tests composed of inorganic silica scales.
Colpodella is a genus of alveolates comprising 5 species, and two further possible species: They share all the synapomorphies of apicomplexans, but are free-living, rather than parasitic. Many members of this genus were previously assigned to a different genus - Spiromonas.
Amastigomonas is a genus of protists belonging to a lineage of biciliated zooflagellates known as Apusomonadida. It was first described in 1931 by Henri de Saedeleer. The current use of Amastigomonas is as a descriptive archetype, with no phylogenetic or taxonomic implications. The term "Amastigomonas-like" is used to refer to all apusomonads that lack the 'derived' characteristics of Apusomonas.
The apusomonads are a group of protozoan zooflagellates that glide on surfaces, and mostly consume prokaryotes. They are of particular evolutionary interest because they appear to be the sister group to the Opisthokonts, the clade that includes both animals and fungi. Together with the Breviatea, these form the Obazoa clade.
Thaumatomastix is a protist genus of the order Thaumatomonadida, within the phylum Cercozoa and the class Imbricatea. Its species are aquatic, feeding on algae and appearing in waters of a wide range of temperatures and salinities, and are 15-50 micrometers long. They can interchange between flagellated and amoeboid forms, and are notable for being covered in both spiny and flattened siliceous scales.
Katabia is a genus of soil-dwelling heterotrophic flagellate cercozoans containing the single species Katabia gromovi, and the only member of family Katabiidae.
An amoeba, often called an amoeboid, is a type of cell or unicellular organism with the ability to alter its shape, primarily by extending and retracting pseudopods. Amoebae do not form a single taxonomic group; instead, they are found in every major lineage of eukaryotic organisms. Amoeboid cells occur not only among the protozoa, but also in fungi, algae, and animals.
Granofilosea is a class of cercozoan protists in the subphylum Reticulofilosa. Out of the three groups that were traditionally considered heliozoans: the heliomonads, gymnosphaerids and desmothoracids, the latter were recently grouped into this new class.
Leucodictyids are heterotrophic amoeboid protists that comprise the order Leucodictyida in the phylum Cercozoa.
Neocercomonas is a protist genus of the order Cercomonadida. It consists of single-celled bacteriophagous organisms that usually live on or nearby terrestrial plants, both above and belowground. Species are biflagellate and may grow up to 60 micrometers long, with a trailing tail-like mass of protoplasm at their posterior end and a pair of roots connecting their posterior flagellum to the cytoskeleton.
Massisteriidae is a family of granofilosean protists within the phylum Cercozoa.
Massisteria marina is a species of small marine phagotrophic protists that normally feed on bacteria. Individuals live associated with sediment particles and suspended detritus in litoral or marine waters. It is found at marine sites all around the world. Its predominantly sedentary lifestyle was a discovery that challenged the concept of bacterivorous protists as constantly active hunters, and its permanent association with detritus particles is uncommon among flagellates.
Minimassisteria is a marine bacterivorous genus of protists with only one species, M. diva, that presents three different lifestyle forms. It has a widespread geographic distribution. It is an amoeboflagellate most closely related to Massisteria, and together comprise the family Massisteriidae.
Limnofila is a genus of heterotrophic protists that live in freshwater habitats and feed on bacteria. They are also present in the soil ecosystem, where they play an important role as predators of bacteria. They are classified as a single family Limnofilidae and order Limnofilida.
Thecamonadinae is a subfamily of heterotrophic protists. It is a monophyletic group, or clade, of apusomonads, a group of protozoa with two flagella closely related to the eukaryotic supergroup Opisthokonta. The subfamily contains two genera Chelonemonas and Thecamonas, which are found in marine habitats.
