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Anisonemidae

Anisonemidae is a small family of euglenid algae, with two accepted genera. It is the only family in the order Anisonemida.

Description

The family consists of single-celled organisms with a larger posterior flagellum by means of which they are able to glide. They are phagotrophic, meaning that they feed by engulfing particles of food, and are non-photosynthetic.

Taxonomy

The family was established by William Saville-Kent in a work published in 1880–1881. Saville-Kent used a much wider circumscription than more recent sources. Historically, phagotrophic euglenids have been treated as animals, and named under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, hence the family name ending "-idae".

Genera

, two genera are accepted:

  • Anisonema <small>Dujardin, 1841</small>
  • Dinema <small>Perty, 1852</small> (syn. Dinematomonas <small>P.C.Silva, 1960</small>)

A third genus, Heteronema <small>Dujardin, 1841</small>, is listed by some sources. The status of the genus is unclear; it appears to be polyphyletic, with some species falling into the order Peranemida and others in Anisonemida. Many of its species have been transferred into Teloprocta, which is placed in Peranemida.

References