Overview
The hypotrichs are a group of protozoa, included among the spirotrichs. Most are oval in shape, with a rigid pellicle, and have cirri distributed in isolated tufts on the ventral surface of the cell. Some also have dorsal cilia, which function as sensory bristles. Euplotes and Aspidisca are common genera. Like other ciliates, hypotrichs reproduce by cell division and conjugation.
The hypotrichs were first defined by Friedrich von Stein in 1859. Originally the stichotrichs, which also have cirri, were included here, but they were separated out by Small & Lynn, 1981, who placed the restricted hypotrichs among the Nassophorea because of various peculiarities in their infraciliature. More recent schemes reverse this move, and some molecular studies suggest they may be paraphyletic to the stichotrichs as currently defined.
Taxonomy
The Order Hypotrichida is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Family (2): Holostichidae · Strongylidiidae
- Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 91 species and subspecies in the Order Hypotrichida.
Families
Holostichidae
Strongylidiidae
More info about the Family Strongylidiidae may be found here.
Sources
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