The ciliates. One of the most familiar groups of protozoa, distinguished by usually having many cilia lying in rows on the body and used for movement, sometimes with more cilia around the mouth and used for feeding. Typically between 10 and 500 microns in length. One of the characteristics that is very unusual is that ciliates have two kinds of nuclei - diploid micronuclei and selectively polyplopid macronuclei within each cell.

The least inclusive crown clade containing dimorphic nuclei homologous with Tetrahymena thermophila nuclei.

Alveolates with nuclear dimorphism - co-existence of a selectively polyploid macronucleus and diploid micronucleus, flagella = cilia numerous at some stage, somatic cilia in rows (kineties), and the bases of the cilia giving rise to elements of the cortical cytoskeleton; cortex perforated by mouth or mouths, cytopyge (= cell anus), opening of contractile vacuoles, and egress points for ejectisomes. Common, widespread in most aquatic habitats. Many descriptive terms relate to the pattern of oral or somatic cilia as revealed by silver staining.

ciliates (nematodes, ciliates) is prey of:
meroplankton
Appendicularia
Doliolidae
Calanoida
Euphausiidae
Cyclopoidea
Cnidaria
Tomopteridae

Based on studies in:
Pacific (Marine)

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

ciliates (nematodes, ciliates) preys on:
phytoplankton
bacteria
zooflagellates

Based on studies in:
Pacific (Marine)
Scotland (Lake or pond)

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
                                        

Specimen Records:	528	Public Records:	376
Specimens with Sequences:	394	Public Species:	75
Specimens with Barcodes:	380	Public BINs:	72
Species:	85
Species With Barcodes:	80

Access Published & Released Data: Download FASTA File

Collection Sites: world map showing specimen collection locations for Ciliophora