Description of Phyllopharyngia

Phyllopharyngeid ciliates, trophonts free-swimming, may be sessile but not (usually) sedentary; cilia mainly on ventral surface; oral ciliature typically composed of one preoral kinety and two circumoral kineties; with true cytostome and cytopharynx with phyllae and rod-shaped nematodesmata; macronucleus heteromerous; some are symbionts of external body cavities.