ABSTRACT
Polyhym enophora (spirotrichs): ciliates that feed using a band of membranelles stretching from the anterior pole of the cell to the cytostome. The band is called the adoral zone of membranelles (AZM). (i) Hypotrichs: polyhymenophora that walk on the substrate using cirri (blocks of cilia). Usually dorsoventrally flattened. Amphisiella, Aspidisca, Chaetospira, Euplotes, Holosticha, Oxytricha, Paruroleptus, Pattersoniella, Stichotricha, Stylonychia, Tachysoma, Uroleptus, Urostyla. (ii) Heterotrichs: polyhymenophora that move with somatic cilia arranged in kineties. Blepharisma, Brachonella, Caenomorpha, Climacostomum, Condylostoma, Metopus, Spirostomum, Stentor. (iii) Oligotrichs: polyhymenophora in which the somatic cilia are absent or reduced to a circum ferential band of spines. AZM is apical and well developed. Mostly open-water organisms. Halteria, Strombidium, Strobilidium, Tintirmidium. (iv) Epalcids: polyhymenophora with a flattened sculpted body. Somatic cilia reduced or absent. AZM usually near the middle of the body and reduced. Mostly from anoxic sites. Discomorphella, Epalxella.
