| Ventrata | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Paramecium caudatum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Clade: | Sar |
| Clade: | Alveolata |
| Phylum: | Ciliophora |
| Subphylum: | Intramacronucleata |
| Infraphylum: | Ventrata Cavalier-Smith 2004 |
| Classes [1] | |
Ventrata is an infraphylum of ciliates inside the subphylum Intramacronucleata that unites the classes Phyllopharyngea, Colpodea, Nassophorea, Prostomatea, Plagiopylea and Oligohymenophorea. [1] It is equivalent to the clade CONthreeP or Conthreep recovered by phylogenetic analyses. [2]
Members of this taxon are characterized by having, ancestrally, a ventral cytopharynx, [1] as the name suggests.
The monophyly of CONthreeP is well supported, being placed as sister to Protocruziea. [2] The order Discotrichida, belonging to class Nassophorea, has been recovered as the earliest branch of the clade. [2]
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